The ceremony, held on Thursday, June 25, 2026, at the company’s premises in the Tema Industrial Area, brought together senior government officials, traditional leaders, the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, industry executives, and key stakeholders from across the energy sector.
Expansion to Reshape Ghana’s Energy Landscape
Upon completion, the refinery’s processing capacity will increase from 40,000 barrels per day to 100,000 barrels per day—a leap of 60,000 additional barrels daily that will make Sentuo one of the largest refineries in West Africa.
Addressing dignitaries at the sod-cutting ceremony, President Mahama described the expansion as both “bold and strategic,” coming at a time of significant global energy uncertainty.
“This expansion is not merely an investment in infrastructure—it is an investment in Ghana’s future. It is an investment in our energy security, in our industrial growth, in our job creation and economic resilience,” the President declared.
He emphasised that by increasing domestic refining capacity, Ghana would reduce its dependence on imported refined petroleum products, strengthen supply chain reliability, and retain more value within the economy.
Jobs, Investment, and Industrial Spinoffs
The project is expected to generate significant employment opportunities. Energy Minister John Abdulai Jinapor announced that staff numbers at the refinery would rise from approximately 700–800 to 1,500 upon completion.
“More importantly, we are creating jobs. We are anchoring our economy, protecting ourselves from global shocks, and stabilising our currency,” Jinapor stated.
Trade Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare highlighted that the expansion would attract substantial investment in downstream industries, including petrochemical, fertiliser, and plastics manufacturing.
“This refinery gives us the security to attract petrochemical manufacturers, fertiliser blenders, and plastics processors—not as energy producers, but as export-oriented manufacturing investments under our accelerated export development programme,” she explained.
A Transformative Milestone
The Sentuo Oil Refinery, part of the Chinese conglomerate Sentuo Group, was commissioned in early 2024 with an investment of nearly $2 billion. Conceived under China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Ghana’s “One District, One Factory” policy, the facility has become the nation’s largest active refining operation.
Its strategic importance was underscored just weeks before the sod-cutting ceremony, when the refinery received its first shipment of one million barrels of locally produced Jubilee crude oil for domestic processing—a historic departure from Ghana’s longstanding practice of exporting raw crude.
Executive Chairman of Sentuo Oil Refinery, Ningquan Xu, described the Phase II expansion as a transformative undertaking.
“The Phase II expansion represents a turning point for Ghana’s industrial future,” Xu said.
Upstream Gains and Regional Ambitions
President Mahama used the occasion to announce broader progress in Ghana’s petroleum sector, revealing that the government had secured commitments totalling more than $3.5 billion in upstream investments. This includes approximately $2 billion from Jubilee and TEN partners for drilling up to 20 new wells, and $1.5 billion from OCTP partners for additional field development.
For the first time in several years, Ghana is poised to record an increase in crude oil production, reversing a prolonged decline. Production from the Jubilee Field has already increased from approximately 60,000 barrels per day to about 85,000 barrels per day.
The President also announced that GNPC Explorco would begin onshore drilling in the Voltaian Basin before the end of 2026 to determine the commercial viability of petroleum reserves in the region.
With the Sentuo expansion and the eventual full operationalisation of the Tema Oil Refinery, Mahama expressed confidence that Ghana would not only meet domestic fuel demand but also generate surplus products for export to neighbouring countries.
A Vote of Confidence in Ghana’s Future
President Mahama framed the expansion as a powerful vote of confidence in Ghana’s economic renewal.
“At a time when our nation is pursuing a deliberate programme of economic renewal and industrial transformation, this investment stands as a powerful vote of confidence in our future and in the vast opportunities that Ghana continues to offer,” he said.
With macroeconomic stability steadily being restored and investor confidence returning, the Sentuo expansion signals a new chapter in Ghana’s journey from raw material exporter to industrial powerhouse.
