The Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), long dormant in its primary refining function, is poised to return to crude oil processing by the end of October 2025. This announcement comes from TOR’s Corporate Affairs Officer, Godwin Mahama, who spoke on Onua FM’s Yɛn Nsempa morning show in Accra.
Mahama revealed that after several years of nearly forsaking crude processing, the refinery is now undergoing a “Turnaround Maintenance Project” which is 98 percent complete. The management expects the maintenance team to hand over the facility to the production unit by October 17, 2025, following final inspections.
He added that the first shipment of crude to be refined within the country should arrive before mid-month, paving the way for crude processing to begin in earnest.
This revival effort marks a major pivot for TOR, which has spent much of its recent years leasing out its tank farms to bulk distribution companies instead of refining crude. Mahama said the leadership under Managing Director Edmund Combat and support from President John Dramani Mahama have been indispensable in pushing this agenda to restore TOR’s core mandate.
Reviving domestic crude refining holds important implications for Ghana’s energy security and foreign exchange management. TOR aims to meet about 60 percent of the country’s refined petroleum demand, reducing dependence on product imports and helping stabilize the cedi.
The announcement is consistent with prior statements by TOR leadership. Earlier in June 2025, Acting Managing Director Edmund Kombat also confirmed plans for TOR’s resumption in October, citing reforms and rehabilitation as the foundation for the restart.
If the plan holds, this reactivation after years of dormancy could mark a turning point in Ghana’s downstream petroleum sector.
Tema Oil Refinery to Resume Operations in October 2025 – MD Confirms