Mahama Sets 100,000-Barrel Target as TOR Expansion Anchors Ghana’s Refining Ambitions

President John Dramani Mahama has ordered the preparation of a strategic roadmap to expand the Tema Oil Refinery’s (TOR) crude processing capacity to 100,000 barrels per day, signalling the government’s determination to transform the state-owned refinery into a commercially competitive energy hub for West Africa.

The directive, issued during the commissioning of TOR’s refurbished facilities, shifts the government’s focus from merely reviving refinery operations to pursuing large-scale industrial expansion aimed at reducing fuel imports, strengthening energy security and boosting value addition within Ghana’s petroleum sector.

The announcement comes as TOR achieved a symbolic milestone by processing one million barrels of Ghana’s Jubilee Field Medium Sweet Crude into refined petroleum products, underscoring renewed confidence in the refinery’s operational capabilities.

Mahama said the refinery’s rehabilitation marks the foundation of a broader industrial strategy rather than the end of a recovery programme. He tasked the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, together with TOR’s board and management, with developing a comprehensive expansion plan that would significantly increase refining capacity while improving operational efficiency and financial sustainability.

The President also outlined plans to shield TOR from political interference through institutional reforms, while upgrading the refinery’s Single Buoy Mooring (SBM) infrastructure to improve crude oil imports and product exports.

The expansion is expected to support Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy policy and the Accelerated Export Development Programme, with TOR positioned to supply fuel for manufacturing, industrial production and regional exports under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

To encourage industrial investment, Mahama announced a package of incentives for businesses operating around the clock, including tax relief, preferential electricity tariffs and duty-free importation of capital equipment for plant expansion.

If successfully executed, the refinery’s expansion to 100,000 barrels per day would represent one of Ghana’s most ambitious industrial infrastructure projects in decades, strengthening the country’s position as a regional refining, storage and petroleum logistics hub while reducing dependence on imported refined fuels.