The Offshore Petroleum Association of South Africa (OPASA) has welcomed the government’s decision to uphold environmental authorisation for proposed exploration drilling in Block 3B/4B in the Orange Basin off the country’s west coast.
In a statement to Energy News Africa Ltd, the association said the decision by the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment marked an important step towards greater regulatory certainty for South Africa’s offshore petroleum sector.
Regulatory certainty was essential to attracting the long-term investment needed to explore and develop offshore resources responsibly, OPASA said.
The association said this required a thorough and transparent process in which projects were carefully assessed and stakeholders had meaningful opportunities to raise concerns. Such a process would build confidence among communities, regulators and investors, it added.
“Exploration is a critical step in establishing whether the country holds commercially viable offshore oil and gas reserves, with the potential to strengthen energy security and support economic growth, job creation, skills development and downstream industry,” OPASA said.
The association said it remained committed to advocating for responsible offshore development that protected the environment, addressed stakeholder concerns and supported South Africa’s long-term economic and energy needs.
The decision follows appeals by 47 individuals and organisations, including Greenpeace Africa, against a 2024 authorisation allowing up to five exploration wells.
The minister dismissed the appeals but added conditions concerning assessments of food security and coastal livelihoods.
Greenpeace Africa criticised the decision, which remains open to judicial review.
TotalEnergies operates Block 3B/4B, with QatarEnergy among its partners. The block covers about 17,581 square kilometres in the Orange Basin, where discoveries off neighbouring Namibia have encouraged further exploration. In announcing its entry into the block in 2024, TotalEnergies linked the investment to its exploration efforts following the Venus discovery in Namibia.
Oilfield services company SLB, formerly known as Schlumberger, has signed an agreement with the state-owned South African National Petroleum Company (SANPC) to support digital transformation and skills development in South Africa’s energy sector.
The agreement, signed during the recently concluded African Energy Week 2026 in Cape Town, aims to strengthen technical capabilities and promote innovation, technology and knowledge transfer.
It establishes a framework for cooperation between the companies, with a focus on building the digital skills needed to support South Africa’s evolving energy sector.
The agreement was signed by SLB’s Managing Director for Central, East and Southern Africa, Miguel Baptista, and its Digital Manager for the region, Eniola Oludemi, alongside SANPC Chief Executive Godfrey Moagi and Exploration Executive KB Trivedi.
For decades, the global transport system has been inextricably linked to the petroleum value chain. Today, that paradigm is fracturing. The transition to Electric Vehicles (EVs) is no longer a distant environmental aspiration; it is an economic and industrial reality today. For African nations, particularly Ghana, this shift represents a critical juncture. Every EV journey turns a transport decision into an energy decision, shifting demand from imported liquid fuels to the domestic electricity grid.
A photo of EV charging station
The Global EV Situation
Global demand for electric mobility has reached unprecedented levels. According to the IEA Global EV Outlook 2026, global electric car sales grew by 20% in 2025, exceeding 20 million units. This milestone means that 25% of all new cars sold worldwide were electric.
Demand is highly concentrated but rapidly expanding into emerging markets:
China: Despite a slight slowdown due to the halt of a trade-in scheme, EVs accounted for a staggering 55% of all car sales in 2025.
Europe: Driven by stringent EU CO2 standards, sales rose by over 30%, capturing a 28% market share.
United States: Sales remained stable at just under 10%, impacted by the expiration of EV tax credits.
Emerging Markets: Southeast Asia saw annual sales more than double, reaching a 20% market share led by Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand. Latin America grew 75%, led by Brazil and Mexico.
On the supply side, the market is heavily dominated by Asian manufacturing. In 2025, Chinese automakers supplied 60% of global electric car sales. European and North American automakers trailed significantly, each responsible for approximately 15% of global sales.
Share of Global EVsIncrease in Adoption
The trajectory for EV adoption points toward exponential growth, fundamentally altering global energy consumption patterns. Under current stated policies, the IEA projects that global EV electricity demand could exceed 1,500 Terawatt-hours (TWh) by 2035, a massive leap from the approximately 180 TWh consumed in 2024.
However, it is crucial to put this growth in context. Because battery electric vehicles (BEVs) use about 70% less energy per kilometre than gasoline internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, this 1,500 TWh will account for only about 4% of global final electricity demand in 2035. EV efficiency means the transition is highly energy-efficient, provided the underlying grid infrastructure can handle the localized load.
Source: IEA Outlook for Energy Demand 2025/2026Effects on Energy Usage and Infrastructure
The most profound impact of the EV revolution is the shift from the petroleum supply chain (crude oil, refining, and filling stations) to the electricity value chain (generation, transmission, distribution, and charging stations). EVs are not simply vehicles; they are mobile electricity consumers.
Globally, the infrastructure is racing to catch up. By the end of 2025, private light-duty vehicle (LDV) charging points reached over 43 million supporting a stock of around 76 million electric LDVs. Public charging infrastructure also expanded rapidly, exceeding 7 million points globally, though it remains geographically skewed with China hosting over 65% of installations.
This shift introduces new systemic requirements. The charging station is becoming the new filling station, directly connected to the grid. This requires major upgrades to distribution transformers and transmission capacity along with smart charging. Smart charging allows EV demand to be shifted away from peak periods, transforming vehicles from mere consumers into flexible assets that can stabilize the electricity system.
Building a national charging network and upgrading grid capacity requires substantial capital. Promoting EV adoption without strengthening the electricity distribution system carries severe risks: localized network congestion, overloaded transformers and frequent outages.
The EV Situation in Africa
Africa is at a critical juncture. For instance, Ghana launched its National Electric Vehicle Policy in 2023, outlining a preparatory phase (2024–2026) followed by accelerated uptake (2027–2035). The Energy Commission’s 2025 outlook projected a system peak demand of 4,125 MW and consumption of 25,836 GWh. Introducing thousands of EVs will add a significant new layer of demand.
The structural risk for African economies is adopting a transition framework that installs new renewable capacity or imports EVs without addressing existing grid infrastructure, revenue recovery architectures and tariff regimes.
If African countries merely import electric cars, they become passive consumers of the transition, replacing dependence on imported petroleum with dependence on imported EVs and batteries. The goal must be an electricity-powered mobility economy. This includes developing local capabilities in vehicle and battery assembly, charging equipment manufacturing, software diagnostics and battery recycling.EV and the Petroleum Industry
The progressive replacement of ICE vehicles with EVs will inevitably alter the petroleum economy. While petroleum will remain essential for aviation, shipping, and heavy industry, demand for road transport fuels will face a structural decline.
For African nations heavily reliant on petroleum, the implications are vast:
Fiscal Impact: A potential decline in petroleum-tax revenues, which historically fund road infrastructure and general budgets.
Foreign Exchange: A positive reduction in the forex required to import refined liquid fuels, improving the balance of payments.
Downstream Sector: Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), fuel stations, and traditional vehicle maintenance businesses face an existential threat if they do not adapt.
The appropriate response is preparation, not resistance. OMCs must diversify into energy services, turning traditional filling stations into integrated mobility hubs that offer fast charging, solar-backed battery storage, and retail services.
Implications for African Policymakers
The global EV revolution is fundamentally an energy and industrial transition. For Ghana and the wider African continent, the success of this transition will not be measured by the number of EVs imported, but by the resilience of the infrastructure built to support them.
Policymakers must adopt an integrated approach: EV Policy + Generation Planning + Transmission/Distribution Investment + Tariff Reform.
Furthermore, leveraging existing policies and frameworks requires institutional discipline to ensure that international capital inflows translate into genuine technology transfer and local industrial capacity. Only then can Africa move from being a site of green energy deployment to a hub of green industrial production.
Zambia’s state-owned power utility, ZESCO Limited, has attributed a prolonged power outage in parts of Lusaka to planned maintenance involving the replacement of ageing electricity poles.
The outage affected customers in Kabulonga Extension, parts of Ibex Hill, Kalikiliki, Mtendere, Kalingalinga, Mass Media, areas off Kamloops Road and part of Salama Park on Thursday, October 22, 2026.
In a statement issued on Friday, ZESCO apologised for the disruption, acknowledging its impact on businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises such as barbershops, salons and restaurants.
The utility said the maintenance work was aimed at preventing frequent equipment failures and ensuring a safe, reliable and stable electricity supply ahead of the rainy season.
“Zesco sincerely apologises for the inconvenience caused and thanks its valued customers for their patience and understanding,” the statement said.
Senegal is offering 104 oil and gas blocks to investors as it seeks new upstream contracts to accelerate exploration and production, Energy and Petroleum Minister El Hadji Abdourahmane Diouf said at African Energy Week 2026 in Cape Town.Of the 113 blocks in Senegal’s reorganised acreage, four are under contract and five have been allocated to Eni for studies, he said.Diouf said Senegal hoped to sign several contracts and demonstrate that it remained open to investment and committed to international procedures.Senegal reorganised its upstream acreage into 113 blocks in March 2026, comprising 65 onshore and 48 offshore blocks. It also signed an agreement with Eni to assess the oil and gas potential of five offshore blocks.The country is also seeking partners to develop the Yakaar-Teranga gas project alongside national oil company Petrosen, which took full control of the project after Kosmos Energy withdrew in April 2026.Diouf said the project would supply gas for power generation, industrial uses, including fertiliser production, and exports. Its development would require a clear structure, credible buyers and a defined investment programme, he added.“Our strategy is to build the value chain from the well to the factory, with gas at the heart of our industrial ambition,” he said.In the downstream sector, Diouf highlighted plans for a second refinery to process crude from the Sangomar field, at an estimated cost of $2 billion to $3 billion.Société Africaine de Raffinage (SAR) and Turkey’s Yamata signed a memorandum of understanding in New York on September 23, 2026, for the refinery, which would have a capacity of 4 million tonnes a year.Diouf said the project would create further investment opportunities in storage, logistics, distribution and petrochemicals.He urged investors to review Senegal’s geological data, engage with its technical teams and submit proposals backed by the financial and operational capacity to carry them out.He also called on investors to involve Senegalese companies and workers from the outset, with support from the national local content monitoring committee.“Capital must earn a return. Senegal must gain a stronger economy. The partnership we seek must serve both purposes,” he said.Diouf said Senegal also hoped to expand cooperation under the MSGBC alliance beyond Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Guinea. He did not identify the additional countries being considered.
Ghana’s National Petroleum Authority (NPA) allowed some unlicensed fuel tankers to continue transporting petroleum products to avert potential shortages in parts of the country, its chief executive said.
Godwin Edudzi Tameklo told Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee last week that the authority had sought to balance regulatory enforcement with the need to maintain fuel supplies.
His explanation followed concerns raised in the Auditor-General’s 2025 report, which found that only 2,514 of more than 4,000 Bulk Road Vehicles (BRVs), commonly known as fuel tankers, were licensed by the NPA.
Tameklo said Ghana had nearly 5,000 petroleum retail outlets served by just over 4,000 tankers. Strict enforcement without considering supply needs could disrupt deliveries, he said.
“What we’ve done prior to this audit is to ensure a balancing act — whilst ensuring regulation, how do we also ensure that petroleum products ultimately get to people?” he said.
He said consumers expected fuel to be available regardless of the regulatory challenges involved in delivering it, underscoring the authority’s responsibility to maintain supplies.
Tameklo explained that NPA licensing enabled the authority to monitor and track tankers, while the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) was responsible for certifying their roadworthiness.
He said enforcing compliance was easier in Accra than elsewhere in the country, adding that the NPA could still track petroleum product movements through freight cost claims.
QatarEnergy has signed two long-term agreements with Cheniere to purchase up to 4 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) annually, with deliveries expected to begin in 2031 and continue through 2054.
The LNG will come from Cheniere’s Sabine Pass facility in Louisiana and Corpus Christi facility in Texas, both on the U.S. Gulf Coast. Deliveries will be made on a free-on-board basis.
The agreements were signed by Qatar’s Minister of State for Energy Affairs and QatarEnergy Chief Executive Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi and Cheniere Chairman and Chief Executive Jack Fusco.
“The signing of these two SPAs marks an important milestone in our LNG strategy,” Al-Kaabi said.
“This major long-term purchase will expand and diversify our global LNG portfolio and advance our ability to meet the evolving requirements of the market.”
He said the additional volumes would complement QatarEnergy’s existing supplies, expand its supply and trading portfolio and strengthen its ability to serve customers worldwide.
QatarEnergy said the agreements reflected its confidence in LNG’s long-term role in the global energy mix and its efforts to develop a more flexible and diversified portfolio.
Africa will need at least $125 billion in investment in existing and new refineries, including maintenance, through 2050, an Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) official said at the recently concluded African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa.
Abderrezak Benyoucef, Head of OPEC’s Energy Studies Department, outlined the projections during a fireside chat with Eithne Treanor, Founder and Chief Executive of ETreanor Media.
“Talking about capacity, we have also to talk about how much we get from these refineries,” Benyoucef said.
African refineries currently operate at about 55% utilisation, processing less than 3 million barrels per day (bpd).
OPEC expects the continent’s crude distillation capacity to increase by 3.2 million bpd to about 7.9 million bpd by 2050, with utilisation rising to around 80%, close to the global average.
Even so, refining capacity would remain below Africa’s oil demand, which OPEC projects will rise from 4.9 million bpd to 9.2 million bpd over the period.
Drawing on the Africa section of OPEC’s 2026 World Oil Outlook, Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais said the continent’s population would grow by about 917 million people by 2050. Its economy is projected to expand faster than that of any other region, averaging 4.4% annually.
Africa holds an estimated 120 billion barrels of proven crude oil reserves and 18 trillion cubic metres of proven natural gas reserves.
Al Ghais called for greater access to financing for energy projects suited to individual countries’ circumstances.
“Africa cannot and should not be expected to forgo development opportunities, energy security and poverty eradication in response to a problem which it had very little to do with the creation of,” he said.
Benyoucef said Africa’s liquids supply stood at about 7.6 million bpd, representing roughly 7% of the global total.
OPEC expects supply from African producers outside its Declaration of Cooperation to rise from 2.3 million bpd in 2025 to 3 million bpd by 2050, although demand is projected to continue outpacing supply.
Under OPEC’s reference case, about 700 million Africans would still lack access to clean cooking by 2050. Its alternative scenarios, which assume stronger economic growth and greater investment in technology, project a lower figure.
Al Ghais also invited delegates to the 10th OPEC International Seminar, scheduled for July 7–8, 2027, at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, where he said African issues would feature prominently in discussions.
Ghana’s Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Dr. John Abdulai Jinapor, has urged energy ministers across the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to strengthen regional electricity trade by encouraging greater power exchanges among member states.
Speaking at the opening of the 16th Meeting of ECOWAS Ministers in Charge of Energy, Jinapor highlighted the importance of energy security, affordability, accessibility and sustainability in supporting regional integration, economic growth and sustainable development across West Africa.
Ghana exports electricity to neighbouring countries, including Côte d’Ivoire, Togo and Burkina Faso.
“A more energy-secure West Africa is a stronger, more integrated, and more prosperous West Africa,” he said.
Some ECOWAS member states continue to struggle to provide reliable and affordable electricity, prompting public protests.
In The Gambia, scores of residents in the capital, Banjul, recently staged nighttime protests over widespread blackouts.
The government responded by importing two generators from China to boost generation capacity and ease power shortages.
Ghana’s premier oil refinery, Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) on Wednesday hosted a delegation from the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) as part of an information exchange programme.
The delegation, accompanied by representatives of Ghana’s Petroleum Commission, was received by TOR Managing Director Edmond Kombat and Deputy Managing Director Alhaji Mustapha Batalima Abubakar.
TOR’s technical team briefed the visitors on how crude oil is converted into finished petroleum products and shared the refinery’s experience in processing domestically produced crude.
Delegation leader Arthur Musinguci said the visit would help the team better understand the refining process as Uganda prepares for its first oil production and pursues plans to develop a domestic refinery.
He said the delegation was keen to learn from TOR’s experience as Uganda works towards processing its crude locally.
Uganda’s Kingfisher oilfield holds an estimated 560 million barrels of oil in place, of which about 190 million barrels, or roughly 34%, are expected to be recovered over 20 to 25 years.
Speaking separately at African Energy Week in Cape Town, Kristina Kasebayo, head of compliance at the Uganda National Oil Company, said Uganda expected to begin producing oil before the end of its financial year in June 2027.
“First oil will start before the end of our financial year, June 2027. Moreover, this will position us as an oil-producing country,” she said.
Kasebayo said a final investment decision (FID) on the proposed domestic refinery was targeted for February 2027.
She added that the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) was 92% complete, with crude exports expected to begin after production starts.
The pipeline will transport Ugandan crude to a port in Tanzania for export to international markets.
First production would mark a major milestone for Uganda, about two decades after its first commercial oil discoveries in 2006. Export infrastructure and supporting regulatory frameworks have been central to efforts to bring the country’s resources to market.
Britain’s energy regulator, Ofgem, has approved an agreement to maintain gas import capacity from mainland Europe, helping preserve supply flexibility during periods of high demand.
Ofgem said on Thursday it had approved Interconnector Limited entering into an agreement with National Gas Transmission plc under its licence to maintain import capability through the pipeline linking Britain and Belgium.
Britain’s gas interconnectors with Belgium and the Netherlands allow supplies to flow in either direction, depending on market demand.
The pipelines are used only occasionally to import gas. Most of Britain’s gas imports arrive through pipelines from Norway or as liquefied natural gas (LNG) from other suppliers.
Ofgem said import capacity through the continental interconnectors had declined in recent years because of weaker commercial incentives to bring gas from Europe and technical reductions in pipeline capacity.
However, the links remain an important supply option during periods of particularly high demand, including severe winter weather, the regulator said.
Ofgem has opened a consultation, running until November 20, 2026, on a proposed regulatory mechanism to recover the costs of maintaining that capability.
“Maintaining import capability through the continental interconnectors has been identified as an important action to strengthen resilience by enhancing the ability of the gas system to respond to more challenging situations in the very unlikely event that they arise,” said Glenn Bryn-Jacobsen, Director of Energy Systems and Resilience at National Gas, according to Oilprice.com
Jack Presley Abbott, Ofgem’s Director of Energy Systems Management and Security, said maintaining the links remained important as the energy system evolved.
“We have approved the agreement needed to maintain this important capability, and, as such, are consulting on the proposed regulatory mechanism for recovering its costs,” he said.
Separately, the British government on Wednesday approved the long-delayed Jackdaw gas field, marking the first approval of a new North Sea project since the war involving Iran drove up energy prices.
Jackdaw could begin supplying gas to British homes and businesses as early as later this month, after the energy secretary agreed that the regulator could grant consent for production at the field.
South Africa has announced temporary fuel levy cuts costing 10 billion rand to ease pressure on motorists, starting on November 4, as part of its 2026 mini-budget.
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said the government would cut the levy by 1.50 rand per litre for petrol and 3 rand per litre for diesel from November 4 to December 1, 2026.
The reductions would then be scaled back to 1 rand per litre for petrol and 1.50 rand per litre for diesel until January 5, 2027, when the relief would end.
“The relief will cost the fiscus R10 billion,” Godongwana said during the presentation of the mini-budget.
The announcement follows recent protests by motorists in parts of South Africa over high fuel prices.
A United Arab Emirates-led consortium has signed a $28 billion agreement with Ghana’s Petroleum Hub Development Corporation (PHDC) to develop a refinery and petrochemical facilities at Jomoro in the Western Region, as part of the second phase of the country’s petroleum hub project.
The consortium, led by Global Sphere and comprising partners from the UAE, Korea and Mali, plans to build a refinery with a capacity of 300,000 barrels per stream day within five years under a build-own-operate arrangement.
The project also includes two petrochemical plants, storage facilities with a combined capacity of four million cubic metres and a multi-berth jetty.
Construction is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2027, subject to technical preparations. Financing arrangements are still being developed, according to the consortium.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Energy and Green Transition Minister Dr. John Abdulai Jinapor said the project supported the government’s plans to expand domestic petroleum processing and supply regional markets.
Dr. John Abdulai Jinapor, Minister for Energy and Green Transition.
He said Ghana’s oil production was beginning to recover after five years of decline, citing a $1.5 billion framework agreement with Eni, a $2 billion agreement with the Jubilee partners and ongoing deepwater drilling campaigns.
“But the vision of the President is simple. We cannot increase oil production without adding value to that oil resource,” Jinapor said.
He said the proposed refinery’s capacity would enable Ghana to supply markets across the West African subregion.
“So to process 300,000 barrels would mean that you are not just feeding Ghana, that you are satisfying the rest of the sub-region,” he said.
Jinapor pledged government support and said he would work with other ministers to fulfil its commitments under the agreement.
Consortium representative Boubacar Belco Bah described the signing of the investment and land development agreement as a step towards expanding industrial capacity in Ghana and West Africa.
He said African economies had long exported raw materials while importing products they could manufacture domestically.
Bah said the consortium and its development partners were working to mobilise investment and structure financing for the second phase through equity participation, long-term debt and credit enhancement and risk mitigation arrangements.
He stressed that the signing did not mark the completion of the financing process.
“Ultimately, our success will be measured not by the agreement we sign today, but by the commitments we honour and the results we achieve together,” he said.
Bah said the project could support the government’s 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development agenda through employment, vocational and technical training, supplier development and opportunities for Ghanaian businesses.
PHDC Chief Executive Toni Aubynn said the signing came 580 days after he took office, following efforts to prepare the project and attract investors.
He said the corporation had designated 2026 its “Year of Action” and had laid the groundwork for implementation.
Aubynn thanked President John Dramani Mahama for his commitment to the project, citing a meeting in November 2025. He also acknowledged Jinapor, Deputy Energy and Green Transition Minister Richard Gyan-Mensah and other stakeholders.
He said the project’s success would be measured by the infrastructure completed, investment delivered, jobs created and lasting benefits for Ghana.
Ghana’s National Petroleum Authority (NPA) plans to strengthen collaboration with the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) to support innovation and skills development in the country’s downstream petroleum sector, the regulator’s chief executive said.
Godwin Kudzo Tameklo made the remarks on Tuesday during a meeting with a UMaT delegation led by Prof. Richard Amorin, dean of the university’s School of Petroleum Studies, to explore areas of cooperation between the two institutions.
Tameklo said closer engagement with academia could help advance the industry through research and innovative approaches.
“We would want to continue the engagement with academia because we strongly believe that it will propel the downstream industry, because what academia does is to come up with innovative ways of doing things,” he said.
The NPA would also explore offering internship opportunities to UMaT students in some of its technical departments, Tameklo said, adding that practical experience could help students better understand industry operations.
Amorin thanked the NPA leadership for its willingness to collaborate, saying he would convey the discussions to the university’s vice-chancellor with a view to advancing the proposed partnership.
The discussions also covered specialised training and secondment opportunities for UMaT teaching staff, the university’s participation in training activities under a proposed NPA Centre of Excellence, and the possible upgrading of a laboratory at UMaT as part of the initiative.
Both institutions expressed optimism that the engagement could lead to a formal partnership linking academic research with industry practice.
The NPA regulates, oversees and monitors Ghana’s downstream petroleum industry.
The association said this required a thorough and transparent process in which projects were carefully assessed and stakeholders had meaningful opportunities to raise concerns. Such a process would build confidence among communities, regulators and investors, it added.
“Exploration is a critical step in establishing whether the country holds commercially viable offshore oil and gas reserves, with the potential to strengthen energy security and support economic growth, job creation, skills development and downstream industry,” OPASA said.
The association said it remained committed to advocating for responsible offshore development that protected the environment, addressed stakeholder concerns and supported South Africa’s long-term economic and energy needs.
The decision follows appeals by 47 individuals and organisations, including Greenpeace Africa, against a 2024 authorisation allowing up to five exploration wells.
The minister dismissed the appeals but added conditions concerning assessments of food security and coastal livelihoods.
Greenpeace Africa criticised the decision, which remains open to judicial review.
TotalEnergies operates Block 3B/4B, with QatarEnergy among its partners. The block covers about 17,581 square kilometres in the Orange Basin, where discoveries off neighbouring Namibia have encouraged further exploration. In announcing its entry into the block in 2024, TotalEnergies linked the investment to its exploration efforts following the Venus discovery in Namibia. 
Tameklo said Ghana had nearly 5,000 petroleum retail outlets served by just over 4,000 tankers. Strict enforcement without considering supply needs could disrupt deliveries, he said.
“What we’ve done prior to this audit is to ensure a balancing act — whilst ensuring regulation, how do we also ensure that petroleum products ultimately get to people?” he said.
He said consumers expected fuel to be available regardless of the regulatory challenges involved in delivering it, underscoring the authority’s responsibility to maintain supplies.
Tameklo explained that NPA licensing enabled the authority to monitor and track tankers, while the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) was responsible for certifying their roadworthiness.
He said enforcing compliance was easier in Accra than elsewhere in the country, adding that the NPA could still track petroleum product movements through freight cost claims.
“A more energy-secure West Africa is a stronger, more integrated, and more prosperous West Africa,” he said.
Some ECOWAS member states continue to struggle to provide reliable and affordable electricity, prompting public protests.
In The Gambia, scores of residents in the capital, Banjul, recently staged nighttime protests over widespread blackouts.
The government responded by importing two generators from China to boost generation capacity and ease power shortages. 
