President John Dramani Mahama has announced that Ghana will commence onshore oil drilling in the Voltaian Basin before the end of 2026, marking a significant step in the country’s efforts to expand petroleum exploration beyond its established offshore fields.
The President disclosed this during the sod-cutting ceremony for Phase Two of the Sentuo Oil Refinery Project in Tema, where he outlined the government’s broader vision for strengthening Ghana’s energy sector.
According to President Mahama, Explorco, the exploration and production subsidiary of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), has been tasked with leading the drilling programme to determine whether petroleum deposits in the Voltaian Basin can be developed on a commercial scale.
He noted that preliminary studies have identified the basin as one of Ghana’s most promising hydrocarbon frontiers, making the planned drilling campaign a crucial milestone in unlocking new energy resources and enhancing the country’s long-term energy security.
Beyond exploration, the President highlighted ongoing efforts to boost domestic petroleum processing capacity through the expansion of the Sentuo Oil Refinery. He said the second phase of the project will increase the refinery’s daily processing capacity from 40,000 barrels to 100,000 barrels.
President Mahama stated that the expansion is expected to reduce Ghana’s dependence on imported refined petroleum products, strengthen the local energy value chain, and create new employment opportunities within the petroleum industry.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to developing the country’s energy resources responsibly while encouraging greater private sector participation in strategic infrastructure projects that support economic growth.
The planned drilling programme in the Voltaian Basin is expected to provide critical geological data that will determine the commercial viability of the area’s petroleum reserves and shape future investment decisions in Ghana’s upstream oil and gas sector.
