Kenya has appointed new heads of three key energy agencies responsible for electricity transmission, geothermal development and energy regulation, the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum said on Wednesday.
Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi named Tom Odhiambo Imbo as managing director and chief executive of the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO), according to a statement issued on Sept. 30.
Stephen Kipsang Busieney was appointed managing director and chief executive of the Geothermal Development Company (GDC), while Edward Mwirigi Kinyua was named director-general of the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA).
The appointments take effect immediately following recruitment processes conducted by the agencies’ respective boards, the ministry said.
It said the recruitment complied with applicable laws and human resource guidelines, and the appointments were approved under the State Corporations Act, the Companies Act and the Energy Act.
Wandayi congratulated the appointees and expressed confidence in their ability to advance the government’s plans for the energy and petroleum sector.
KETRACO develops electricity transmission infrastructure, GDC develops geothermal resources, and EPRA regulates the country’s energy and petroleum industries.
African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 is more than a conference. It is Africa’s energy marketplace. A meeting point for the governments that control resources, the companies that develop them, the financiers that provide capital and the service providers that turn investment decisions into operating projects.
From October 12–16, Cape Town will become a platform for these players to negotiate deals, establish commercial relationships and move African energy opportunities closer to execution.
This commercial mandate has helped turn AEW into a broader movement around African energy development. By bringing decision-makers across the value chain into one marketplace, the event creates an opportunity not only to discuss the trajectory of Africa’s energy systems, but to actively reshape it.
AEW 2026 will convene ministers, national oil companies (NOCs), international operators, independents, financiers and service companies, with a program structured around commercial engagement. In addition to its strategic conference stages, the event incorporates live deal signings, structured business matchmaking and closed-door meetings.
More than 9,000 delegates from over 100 countries are preparing to make their way to Cape Town, bringing with them new opportunities for investment, collaboration and project advancement.
AEW has already cemented itself as Africa’s energy marketplace, where every party needed to advance a project or initiative is present and actively pursuing deals.
The marketplace model has also translated engagement at the event into tangible commercial outcomes, with agreements concluded across financing, project development and cross-border partnerships.
Agreements signed at recent editions span project finance, trade finance, hydrogen development and NOC partnerships.
Signatories at AEW 2022 included Afreximbank, Sasol, Technip Energies and Namcor.
The 2023 edition recorded a loan agreement between Afreximbank and Alphaden Energy & Oilfield, as well as a hydrogen agreement between Gambia’s Ministry of Petroleum and Energy and H2 Gambia Limited.
Five agreements were signed at AEW 2024, including a partnership between the NOCs of the Republic of Congo and Azerbaijan and a trade finance agreement between Afreximbank and Dorman Long Engineering.
Equatorial Guinea’s 2026 licensing round illustrates how engagement at AEW progresses into commercial activity.
The country announced the round at AEW 2025 and provided prospective bidders with details on available acreage, the bid timeline and amendments to fiscal terms and production sharing contracts. This momentum will continue into 2026.
Algeria will bring its ongoing bid round – featuring seven onshore exploration opportunities – to the forefront of the event while Liberia’s Petroleum Regulatory Authority, in partnership with Energy Capital & Power, will showcase the country’s 2026 Direct Negotiation Petroleum Licensing Round.
AEW 2026 takes this engagement further. The Deal Room provides project sponsors and developers with a platform to present active oil, gas, power and infrastructure transactions, while the African Farmout Forum, held in partnership with Moyes & Co, Farmout Angel and Envoi, presents available blocks and acreage from across the continent. An African Upstream M&A panel will assess prevailing deal structures, and a dedicated finance session will examine risk allocation as a determinant of financial close.
Country sessions give operators direct access to government decision-makers.
The program features spotlights on South Africa, Senegal, Nigeria, Namibia, Ghana, the Republic of Congo and more, while the 8th Meeting of the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization NOC CEOs’ Forum will facilitate collaboration between major players.
Power Africa Today, Renegade Intel and the Upstream E&P Forum will run alongside the main program, extending AEW’s coverage to power, digital infrastructure and exploration.
Together, these platforms reinforce AEW’s role not simply as a forum for discussing Africa’s energy future, but as a place where the commercial relationships, investment decisions and agreements shaping that future are made.
“When people ask me what AEW is, I tell them it’s the African energy marketplace. You walk into that building and ministers are there, NOCs are there, banks are there, the company with the rig is there, and they’re all looking for each other. Some of the most important conversations of the year happen in a corridor between sessions, and, more often than not they end with a signed agreement,” stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber.
Register for AEW 2026 via: www.aecweek-registration.com/2026
A coalition of U.S. states and cities, including California and Michigan, has sued the Trump administration’s Environmental Protection Agency over its repeal of greenhouse gas emissions limits for power plants, Reuters reported.
The coalition, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, filed a petition in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit challenging the repeal of the 2024 Carbon Pollution Standards.
The rules required power plants to curb greenhouse gas emissions, including through carbon capture technology.
“Dismantling these protections is a betrayal of American families, and the stakes are too high to allow this administration to once again put profits over people,” James said.
Power plants are the second-largest source of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions after vehicles and account for about a quarter of the country’s carbon dioxide emissions.
The coalition asked the court to strike down the repeal. It also notified the EPA of its intention to sue over what it described as the agency’s continued failure to fully regulate pollution from existing natural gas-fired power plants.
The coalition said the EPA repealed the regulations without considering “reasonable alternatives” or accounting for the health and climate costs of allowing more pollution into the atmosphere.
Ghana’s Energy and Green Transition Minister, Dr. John Abdulai Jinapor, has urged state-owned Volta River Authority (VRA), the country’s largest power generation company, to anchor its profitability on operational efficiency.
The Director of Power at the Ministry, Ing. Suleman Abubakar, speaking on behalf of the minister at VRA’s annual general meeting on Thursday, said the authority’s reported GHS88 million profit after tax in 2025 was driven mainly by the appreciation of the cedi, despite a 7% decline in energy sales.
He praised VRA and GRIDCo engineers for restoring all six generating units at Akosombo within days of the April fire at the Switchyard Control Building.
He disclosed that the government had paid US$1.47 billion to clear legacy power sector debts, renegotiated agreements with independent power producers (IPPs) and reformed the Cash Waterfall Mechanism to ensure full payment for power generated.
He, however, described VRA’s trade receivables of more than GH¢13 billion as too high, assuring the authority that the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, the Ministry of Finance, the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) and power distributors would work together to ensure it was paid in full and on time.
He urged VRA to fast-track Phase 2 of the Aboadze Thermal Plant, the repurposing of T3, solar projects at Pwalugu and Kpong, and its 2,000 MW renewable energy master plan.
He said VRA was expected to take a leading role as the government pursued plans for 1,000 MW of new thermal capacity and nuclear power.
VRA is projecting electricity generation of 13,044 GWh and a net profit of GH¢187 million for 2026.
Tanzania: New Energy Minister Homera Takes Office, Urges Speed and Professionalism
Tanzania’s newly appointed energy minister, Dr. Juma Zuberi Homera, took office on Thursday, urging ministry officials and staff to work faster and more professionally to improve services in the energy sector.
Homera made the remarks after arriving at the ministry’s offices in Mtumba Government City in Dodoma, following his swearing-in by President Samia Suluhu Hassan at Chamwino State House.
He replaced Deogratius Ndejembi, who was appointed vice president following the resignation of his predecessor.
Deputy Energy Minister Salome Makamba led ministry officials, staff and executives from institutions under the ministry in welcoming Homera.
Addressing staff, Homera stressed the need for efficiency, professionalism and cooperation to improve services and advance the country’s energy sector.
He pledged to work closely with ministry officials and its institutions to build on the sector’s achievements.
Homera also commended progress on energy projects and called for staff support to sustain the pace of implementation.
Makamba assured him of support from ministry officials, staff and executives of its institutions.
Africa-focused independent oil producer Tullow Oil Plc described as disappointing a decision by an International Chamber of Commerce tribunal in London rejecting its challenge to a corporate income tax assessment covering its operations in Ghana from 2016 to 2019.
Tullow expressed its disappointment in a notice to investors and shareholders following the tribunal’s ruling on Tuesday.
“Tullow is disappointed that the Tribunal has come to this decision and will now consider next steps after further engagement with the Government of Ghana,” the company said.
Tullow did not disclose what further action it may pursue but said it would provide an update in due course.
Tullow had taken the government of Ghana, represented by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), to the tribunal in London to challenge a $196.5 million corporate income tax assessment relating to proceeds it received from 2016 to 2019 under its corporate business interruption insurance policy.
The tribunal ruled that the $196.5 million tax assessment did not breach the petroleum agreements between Tullow and the Ghanaian government.
It also determined that the 100% penalties imposed on the assessment fell outside the contractual protections contained in Tullow’s petroleum agreements.
The ruling means Tullow’s argument that the assessment was inconsistent with those contractual protections was not upheld by the tribunal.
Ghana’s government, through Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson, welcomed the ruling and commended the Office of the Attorney-General, the GRA and Ghana’s external legal counsel, Foley Hoag LLP, for defending Ghana’s position throughout the arbitration.
Despite the outcome, the government said it remained open to resolving outstanding tax matters with Tullow through engagement.
Forson said discussions between the two sides had already begun before the tribunal delivered its award.
Organisers of the Ghana Energy Awards on Wednesday launched the 2026 edition and opened nominations for individuals and organisations across the energy sector.
The 10th edition will be held under the theme “Consolidating Ghana’s Energy Sector Gains: A Decade of Resilience, A Future of Sustainable Energy”.
It will feature 35 awards, comprising 30 competitive and five non-competitive categories.
Speaking at the launch, Ing. Henry Teinor, chief executive officer of the Energy Media Group, said the scheme had grown into a platform for recognising excellence in the energy sector.
Ing. Henry Teinor
He said its objective was to recognise individuals, institutions and organisations making significant contributions to the sector.
Teinor said the awards took a broad approach because Ghana’s energy story reflected contributions from across the industry.
“It is the collective outcome of the work of public institutions, private enterprises, development partners, professionals, innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers and many more,” he said.
He said the organisers had invested in an Integrated Awards Management System to support applications, validation, scoring and documentation, aiming to ensure a fair and transparent process.
Teinor urged organisations, institutions and individuals across the sector to submit nominations.
Kwame Jantuah, chairman of the awards panel, said the scheme had encouraged organisations and individuals to pursue higher standards.
Recognising excellence could help drive continuous improvement, innovation and national development, he said, adding that the panel would adhere to established assessment criteria and remain guided by fairness, objectivity and transparency.
Jantuah said the sector continued to evolve, citing policy and regulatory reforms, the growing integration of renewable energy into the national grid, changes in power distribution, financial restructuring and digitalisation.
He also highlighted increased investment in upstream and downstream petroleum operations, alongside efforts to strengthen local participation and develop capacity.
Energy and Green Transition Minister Dr. John Abdulai Jinapor, in a speech read on his behalf by Suleman Abubakar, director of power at the ministry, said the awards encouraged organisations and individuals to improve their contributions to the sector.
He said the government would continue reforms across the power and petroleum sectors and commended the organisers for sustaining the awards over the past decade.
The nomination window is officially open until 30th October 2026.
The Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies (COMAC) on Thursday called for the immediate suspension of a new petroleum tax collection provision, warning it could raise pump prices, disrupt fuel supplies and slow government revenue collection.
In a statement signed by its chief executive, Dr. Riverson Oppong, the chamber said Section 136 of the Customs Act, 2026 (Act 1179) had been enacted without industry consultation or a published assessment of its impact.
The provision transfers responsibility for accounting for downstream petroleum taxes from oil and liquefied petroleum gas marketing companies to Bulk Import, Distribution and Export Companies (BIDECs), according to COMAC.
It requires BIDECs to account for taxes at the point of sale, with the Commissioner-General permitted to defer payment for up to 21 days against a bank guarantee, the chamber said.
COMAC argued that the change would require bulk suppliers to finance taxes before receiving payment from marketers, potentially passing borrowing and guarantee costs on to consumers.
“COMAC considers Section 136 to be a transfer of risk, not reform,” the statement said.
The chamber urged the Ministry of Finance to announce a suspension within 14 days. It said it would otherwise convene an emergency general meeting to agree on further action through administrative, regulatory and legal channels.
COMAC said the accumulation of tax arrears reflected weaknesses in enforcing existing controls rather than a flaw in the collection model.
It alleged that overrides in the Integrated Customs Management System, known as ICUMS, had allowed operators to exceed approved credit limits. It called for restrictions on such interventions and a full audit trail.
The chamber also warned that concentrating tax obligations at the bulk-supply level could magnify the impact of enforcement action. While the existing system could deactivate an individual defaulting marketer, action against one BIDEC could affect supplies to several marketers and retail outlets, it said.
COMAC said marketers currently remit taxes within 21 days, while bulk suppliers had indicated during discussions that they might require at least 45 days.
It also raised concerns about what it described as conflicting tax payment triggers under Sections 126(6) and 136 of the Act.
The chamber called for the existing framework to be retained, with BIDECs paying import duties and port charges at importation and marketing companies continuing to account for taxes and levies ex-pump.
It separately sought a response to its analysis of 2025 industry data, which it said identified about 819.25 million litres of unaccounted petroleum products with an estimated revenue implication of GH¢2.5 billion.
COMAC said requests for information on 10 diesel tankers impounded in October 2025 and clarification of non-bonded status granted to three operators also remained unanswered.
The chamber said it remained willing to work with the government to strengthen compliance and revenue collection under the existing system.
The Ghana Revenue Authority and the Finance Ministry are yet to respond to the issue.
Ghana’s state-owned Volta River Authority (VRA), the country’s largest power producer, returned to profitability in 2025, recording a net profit of 88.04 million Ghana cedis ($7.7 million), compared with a net loss of 105.75 million cedis in 2024.
The recovery was driven mainly by the appreciation of the Ghana cedi, which reduced the cost of servicing the authority’s foreign-currency-denominated debt, VRA Board Chairman Jabesh Amissah-Arthur said at the company’s Annual General Meeting in Accra on Thursday.
Revenue from electricity sales fell 0.54% to 9.99 billion cedis in 2025 from 10.05 billion cedis a year earlier, a decline of 54.56 million cedis.
Amissah-Arthur said the reduction was mainly due to a 7% decline in electricity sales volumes, which fell by 996 gigawatt-hours (GWh) to 12,926 GWh from 13,922 GWh in 2024.
Electricity sales to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), the authority’s main regulated-market customer, fell 21%, or 1,399 GWh, to 5,319 GWh from 6,718 GWh in 2024.
Sales to deregulated customers also declined, partly due to the appreciation of the cedi against the U.S. dollar, Amissah-Arthur said.
The authority maintained a stable liquidity position, with current assets exceeding current liabilities by 4.31 billion cedis, he said.
On its capital projects, Amissah-Arthur said construction of the Anwomaso Phase II project had reached 85% completion by the end of 2025.
The authority is also repowering the T3 power plant, a project expected to restore 132 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity to the national grid.
VRA also commenced construction of the 16.5 MWp Pwalugu Solar Power Project, which had reached 85.5% completion by the end of 2025, and began procurement for the 30 MWp Akuse Floating Solar Project.
Amissah-Arthur said VRA remained focused on strengthening its financial sustainability and operational resilience.
Looking ahead to 2026, the authority projects total electricity generation of 13,044 GWh and a net profit of 187 million cedis.
“Management will continue to optimise the asset portfolio, expand renewable energy investments, and improve operational efficiency through digital systems, including the Oracle Fusion Cloud platform,” he said.
An explosion at India’s Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL) near Jokatte killed one person and injured eight people on Wednesday, police said.
Police identified the deceased as Manish Karkera, 30, from Mulky town.
His body was badly burned, according to a report by easternmirrornagaland.com
The injured were taken to hospital, where one was in critical condition, police added.
MRPL described the incident as a fire caused by the rupture of a high-pressure cold separator in its Coker Hydrotreater Unit around noon.
The company said the blaze was extinguished after about two and a half hours.
“During the subsequent combing and inspection operations following the firefighting activity, the body of one deceased person was found at the affected site,” MRPL Chief General Manager Rudolph V. Noronha said in a statement.
The company said one person with burn injuries was receiving treatment in hospital.
The statement did not address the other injuries reported by police.
Noronha said the affected unit was immediately isolated and emergency response and firefighting teams were deployed.
The blast shook nearby homes, prompting residents to rush outside, fearing an earthquake.
Reports of damage included cracked walls, broken windows and shattered roof tiles at a nearby church.
The explosion was heard 10–12 kilometres away and was followed by a large plume of thick black smoke. Fire crews from Mangaluru, Pandeshwar and nearby areas responded.
The incident occurred in the Jokatte area, where the refinery’s third plant is located.
The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) and Malaysia’s state-owned energy company PETRONAS have begun a two-week technical and commercial engagement in Accra to assess opportunities in Ghana’s upstream petroleum sector.
The discussions, taking place at the GNPC Research and Technology Centre, will cover exploration, discovered assets, subsurface geology, engineering, new ventures and commercial development.
GNPC’s team includes geologists, geophysicists, engineers and specialists in new ventures and commercial operations. They will share technical information with their PETRONAS counterparts and explore potential areas of collaboration.
Welcoming the delegation on behalf of GNPC’s chief executive, Hamis Ussif, deputy chief executive for finance, commercial and administration, said the corporation was ready to support productive discussions.
Albert Longdon-Nyewan, GNPC’s director of projects, said the corporation was interested in collaborating with PETRONAS to support investment in Ghana’s petroleum sector.
The engagement forms part of GNPC’s efforts to attract investment and technical expertise to develop Ghana’s petroleum resources and identify opportunities for future collaboration.
Senior leaders from China, India, Japan, Malaysia and across Asia among more than 1,800 confirmed speakers
353 Asian companies and six country pavilions confirmed across ADIPEC’s 2,250-exhibitor global marketplace
ADIPEC connects Asia’s growing energy needs with the global supply, capital, technology and partnerships required to deliver future growth
ADIPEC 2026 will welcome its strongest-ever participation from Asia, with 353 companies and six country pavilions – China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea – taking part in this year’s event.
The Asian organisations will join more than 2,250 exhibitors across 16 halls and 30 international pavilions, where companies from across the global energy value chain will showcase technologies, infrastructure solutions and industrial capabilities.
Asia will also be strongly represented across the conference programme, with senior leaders from across the region among ADIPEC’s more than 1,800 confirmed speakers.
Confirmed participating companies include Sinopec, CNPC, CNOOC, Petronas, PTTEP, INPEX, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Hengyun, Baofeng Steel Group Co. Ltd, Beijing JJC Technology Co. Ltd., Mitsui & Corp, Daechun, DRC, GS Energy Corporation, HADO, Panduit, TMEIC, CATL, Envision Energy, FLARE INTERNUSA, PT Petra Konsulindo Utama, KYK Group, Thai Benkan Co. Ltd., Bajaj Power Equipments Ltd., Babcock Power APAC Pvt Ltd, and Axis Solutions Ltd.
Hosted by ADNOC and held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, in his capacity as Ruler of Abu Dhabi, ADIPEC will connect Asian policymakers, producers, buyers and industry leaders with the global investors, technology companies, project developers and partners as the region’s expanding economies drive new requirements for energy supply, infrastructure, capital and technology.
Asia is expected to be the primary engine of global energy demand growth over the coming decades. China is forecast to account for close to half of worldwide electricity demand growth through 2030, while India is expected to remain the single largest contributor to global energy demand growth through 2035.
Southeast Asia is projected to contribute around a quarter of global energy demand growth through 2035 as industrialisation, urbanisation and digitalisation accelerate across the region.
Meeting that demand will require significant investment in energy supply and infrastructure, particularly as electricity consumption and data-centre capacity continue to grow.
For Asia, sustaining economic growth means securing reliable, affordable energy for its industries, cities and digital infrastructure today, while investing in the supply, capacity and more resilient energy systems it will need over the next decade.
ADIPEC 2026 brings that agenda to Abu Dhabi, connecting the region’s growing requirements with the global organisations, capital and capabilities that can help deliver them.
Abdulmunim Saif Al Kindy, Chairman, ADIPEC 2026, said: “Asia is at the centre of global energy demand growth. As economies expand and energy needs rise, meeting that demand will require greater collaboration between producers, buyers, investors and technology leaders, alongside continued investment in supply and capacity. That is why ADIPEC is attracting record participation from across Asia, providing a platform where strategies are advanced, partnerships are formed and opportunities are turned into action.”
“Abu Dhabi is particularly well positioned to support this growth. Its proximity to some of the world’s fastest-growing energy markets, long-standing partnerships across Asia, and track record of providing reliable, flexible and competitive energy supply put it at the heart of supporting the region’s next phase of economic growth.”
Reflecting Asia’s growing influence on global energy markets, confirmed speakers at ADIPEC include:
Wang Yuetao, Chairman, ZhenHua Oil
Takayuki Ueda, Representative Director, President & CEO, INPEX
Rajarshi Gupta, MD & CEO ONGC, Videsh Ltd
Haruhiko Ando, CEO, Japan Cooperation Centre for Petroleum and Sustainable Energy
Charlotte Wolff-Bye, VP & Group Chief Sustainability Officer, Petronas
Prashant Ruia, Group CEO, Essar Group
Koji Yamamoto, CTO and Senior Councilor, JOGMEC
Nobuo Tanaka, CEO, Tanaka Global
Massimo Danieli, CEO, Business Unit Grid Automation, Hitachi Energy
These executives will join more than 1,800 speakers participating across ADIPEC’s 13 conference programmes, where issues critical to Asia’s energy and economic development will feature prominently.
Within the Strategic Conference, the Natural Gas & LNG programme will bring producers, buyers and infrastructure developers together to examine how supply can be expanded and diversified for import-dependent Asian markets, from contracting and market access through to the shipping and regasification capacity needed to maintain flexibility.
The Grids, Infrastructure & Industrial Execution programme will address the generation, transmission, storage and infrastructure capacity required to support Asia’s industrial, urban and digital growth, while the Finance & Investment programme will look at how capital can be mobilised for the region’s expanding infrastructure pipeline, including the risk allocation to commercial structures that move projects from plan to delivery.
The Maritime & Logistics programme will focus on the ports, fleets and shipping routes connecting global energy producers with Asian buyers, and the partnerships needed to maintain supply chain reliability as volumes grow.
Meanwhile, the AI, Digital & Technology Innovation programme will examine how artificial intelligence, automation and advanced analytics are being embedded into energy systems to sharpen performance and decision-making, alongside the increasing power requirements created by Asia’s rapidly expanding data-centre and digital economy.
New Leadership Dialogues will bring these themes directly into the boardroom, including a session on ‘Asia’s power squeeze: integrating renewables and gas in high-growth power systems’ and a Boardroom Roundtable on ‘The new technology frontier: Asia’s role in shaping global innovation’. ADIPEC will confirm speakers for these sessions in the coming weeks.
Christopher Hudson, President, dmg events, the organisers of ADIPEC, said: “Asia’s influence on the global energy system now extends far beyond demand. The region is increasingly shaping technology, manufacturing, infrastructure and the commercial relationships behind the industry’s next phase of growth.
“ADIPEC has always evolved with the industry, responding each year to where the biggest shifts are happening and where the greatest opportunities lie. Our role is to create the platform where those changes can be translated into decisions, partnerships and progress.”
ADIPEC 2026 will take place from 2-5 November in Abu Dhabi and is expected to welcome more than 239,000 attendees from across the global energy ecosystem.
Planet One Oil & Gas Limited, operator of Ghana’s Deepwater Cape Three Points (DWCTP) Block, is targeting October 2026 to spud the Nya Gyidie-1X exploration well as it steps up exploration activities offshore Ghana.
The company announced the drilling timeline during Africa Oil Week 2026 in Accra, where it outlined progress towards drilling the exploration well.
The Nya Gyidie-1X well is expected to be spudded after the Noble Venturer rig completes its current operations for another operator in Ghana, scheduled to conclude in September 2026.
Planet One Oil & Gas is a wholly owned subsidiary of Planet One Group, which is owned by businessman Sanjeev Mansotra.
“Planet One has done the work. We’ve matured the opportunity, we’ve secured the rig. Now we are ready to drill,” Doreen Addotei, lead geoscientist at Planet One Oil & Gas Limited, said during a presentation at Africa Oil Week.
Planet One entered the DWCTP Block after signing a farm-in agreement with GOIL Upstream Limited in 2023, following ExxonMobil’s relinquishment of its interest in the block.
It operates the block in partnership with GOIL Upstream Limited and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC).
Planet One holds a 75% participating interest in the block, while GNPC holds 15% and GOIL Upstream holds 10%.
The Nya Gyidie-1X drilling campaign is expected to provide additional subsurface data to help assess the petroleum potential of the DWCTP Block as Ghana seeks to sustain upstream exploration and develop its petroleum resources.
Ghanaian journalists should look beyond fuel price increases and explain the market forces, regulation and supply constraints behind them, industry officials said at a training workshop in Accra.
Speaking at the one-day workshop, Dr. Riverson Oppong, chief executive of the Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies (COMAC), said accurate reporting was essential to helping consumers understand developments in the petroleum sector and avoid unnecessary anxiety.
The workshop, held under the theme “Petroleum Pricing and Downstream Sector Operations”, brought together journalists from television, radio, print and online media.
Oppong urged reporters to verify figures, question industry claims and explain how pricing and supply chains work, saying reports without sufficient context could deepen public confusion.
Dr. Riverson Oppong, Chief Executive Officer of Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies (COMAC).
“Our aim is simpler: to help you add sharper questions, verify figures, and explain pricing and industry developments,” he said.
He added that COMAC wanted a lasting relationship with journalists “grounded in access, respect, and shared interest in helping Ghanaians understand an industry that affects us all.”
Speakers highlighted challenges beyond pump prices, including international market shocks, limited strategic fuel reserves, concerns over the quantity of fuel dispensed and a downstream market with more than 250 oil marketing companies and over 5,000 outlets.
Abass Tasunti, director of economic regulation and planning at the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), explained the pricing formula used for Ghana’s twice-monthly fuel pricing windows.
He said the October pricing window reflected a 2.4% increase in petrol’s free-on-board (FOB) price to about $1,300 per tonne and a nearly 7% rise in diesel prices to around $1,400 per tonne, alongside a depreciation of the cedi.
Tasunti urged journalists to use NPA data to independently assess the likely effect of international prices and exchange rate movements on domestic fuel prices.
David Ampofo, chief executive of the Ghana Upstream Petroleum Chamber, said declining crude production was another concern, with higher oil prices sometimes masking the impact on revenue.
He also highlighted Ghana’s new onshore exploration frontier in the Voltaian Basin, where GNPC Explorco, a subsidiary of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), is preparing to drill.
He warned that onshore exploration would pose new social and environmental challenges requiring careful, non-partisan reporting.
Benjamin Nsiah, Executive Director of the Centre for Environmental Management and Sustainable Energy said coverage focused too heavily on affordability, overlooking fuel availability, accessibility, acceptability and supply resilience.
He cited a Ghana Standards Authority audit that he said found about 60% of sampled outlets dispensing less fuel than customers paid for.
Nsiah said BOST’s total storage capacity was about 415,000 metric tonnes, equivalent to roughly 500 million litres, while national monthly consumption exceeded 500 million litres.
He argued that Ghana lacked meaningful state-controlled strategic fuel reserves and remained heavily dependent on a single main import jetty.
Paul E. Ofori, head of research at the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC), said petrol’s FOB price had risen from about $652 per tonne at the start of 2026 to around $1,251 in September. Diesel prices had increased from roughly $695 to more than $1,500 per tonne over the same period, he said.
Ofori argued that strategic reserves covering six to eight weeks of consumption could have cushioned the impact of those increases.
Participating journalists received certificates at the end of the workshop, which COMAC said was intended to strengthen data analysis and reporting on the petroleum sector.
He pledged to work closely with ministry officials and its institutions to build on the sector’s achievements.
Homera also commended progress on energy projects and called for staff support to sustain the pace of implementation.
Makamba assured him of support from ministry officials, staff and executives of its institutions. 
