The Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) has called on the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) to adopt progressive, data-driven regulation that enforces standards, sanctions violators, and promotes fair competition in Ghana’s downstream petroleum sector.
In a statement issued on Thursday, January 22, 2026, ACEP reiterated its opposition to the NPA’s price floor directive, first introduced in April 2024, describing the policy as a response to regulatory failure rather than a solution to persistent sector challenges.
ACEP argued that the price floor rewards inefficiency, discourages competition, and drives up fuel costs for consumers, disproportionately benefiting weaker Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) and Bulk Importers and Distributors of Energy Commodities (BIDECs) struggling to compete in the market.
The centre noted that structural inefficiencies remain entrenched, with 15% of OMCs supplying nearly 90% of the market, while over 160 smaller OMCs account for just 10%.
The policy, ACEP said, does little to address illicit and substandard petroleum products, tax revenue losses, excessive levies on consumers, or persistent anti-competitive practices, including price undercutting.
ACEP also criticised the NPA for failing to apply targeted enforcement, despite its own acknowledgement of unethical practices in the sector. The Authority’s broad protectionist measures, the centre warned, sustain inefficiency and expose consumers to higher costs.
Highlighting the ongoing price wars among OMCs, ACEP stressed that without data-driven regulation focused on accountability and fair competition, the downstream petroleum sector risks continued instability, higher fuel prices, and diminished consumer trust.
The centre urged the NPA to move beyond protectionist policies, emphasising that enforcing standards, sanctioning violators, and fostering competition would strengthen market efficiency while safeguarding consumers.
