By Ebenezer Adu-Gyamfi / Emmanuel Ayiku | Reporting for Ghanaian News Canada.
April 12, 2026
Ghana has reportedly lost more than GH¢600 million in tax revenue in 2025 due to 199 million litres of unaccounted petroleum products, according to a new industry report that has raised concerns over inefficiencies and potential leakages within the country’s energy sector.
The findings, contained in the 2025 Petroleum Product Analysis Report and cited by Joy Business, indicate that the missing volumes represent approximately 2.1% of Ghana’s total petroleum supply for the year.
The losses are tied to uncollected taxes, levies, and regulatory charges that would ordinarily accrue to the state, highlighting gaps in monitoring, reconciliation, and enforcement across the petroleum value chain.
The report also points to a significant increase in petroleum imports, which rose by 36.7%, from 6.23 billion litres in 2024 to 8.71 billion litres in 2025. The surge is attributed to growing domestic consumption and rising commercial demand.
Despite this increase, domestic refinery output declined over the same period, underscoring structural challenges within Ghana’s refining capacity and further deepening reliance on imports.
Analysts note that Ghana remains heavily dependent on imported petroleum products, with more than 90% of supply sourced externally. This dependence exposes the country to fluctuations in global oil prices and foreign exchange pressures.
The report further highlights that, while exports—largely in the form of re-exports to neighbouring countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali, and Togo—have increased, they have not offset the broader inefficiencies within the system.
Industry stakeholders, including the Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies, have attributed the discrepancies to a combination of illegal activities, weak oversight mechanisms, and potential diversion schemes.
According to the Chamber, the transfer of refined petroleum products to modular refineries presents a particular area of concern, as it may create opportunities for tax evasion and underreporting.
The situation has prompted calls for urgent reforms to strengthen transparency and accountability within the sector.
Key recommendations include the implementation of stricter export controls backed by verified financial instruments, the deployment of real-time tracking systems across depots and refineries, and the integration of all modular refineries into a centralized national monitoring platform.
Additionally, stakeholders have emphasized the need for regular reconciliation reporting to regulatory authorities to ensure consistency between recorded imports, distribution, and final consumption.
Experts say addressing these gaps will be critical not only for safeguarding government revenue but also for improving the overall efficiency and credibility of Ghana’s petroleum sector.
The report’s findings have intensified discussions around governance and regulatory enforcement, as authorities face increasing pressure to close loopholes and prevent further losses in a sector considered vital to the country’s economic stability.
