Ghana Downstream Oil and Gas

The current landscape of gas service stations in Ghana is complex to navigate given the number of individual, private companies involved.  However, it offers a significant customer base for U.S. equipment and goods suppliers (pumps, nozzles, fast moving consumer goods to supply attached convenience stores, etc.) as well as providers of tertiary services to Ghanaian gasoline retail outlets (restaurants/franchises). Further, existing service stations are likely to be one of the locations where new charging stations for electrical vehicles will be installed, especially outside of Accra and along major roads. U.S. suppliers of that equipment should develop early relationships with the service stations.   

Major Companies in Sector 

The major players in this segment are the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs).  They are licensed by the National Petroleum Authority to import, distribute, and market petroleum products in Ghana.  They usually operate fuel stations, manage supply chains, and provide products to end consumers.  The OMCs are comprised of both foreign-owned brands (Shell with several hundred filling stations, Total with 260 service stations, Puma etc.) and local brands (GOIL, the state-owned OMC with 380 stations, and private Ghanaian companies such as Petrosol, Goodness, Allied, and STAR, among others.)

Structure of Sector 

Most of the major OMCs use one of the three following business models for their retail gasoline stations:

1. Own and Operate: The OMC owns all the assets (both fixed and rolling stocks) and manages daily operations of the gasoline station. In this case all procurement decisions are taking by the OMC.
2. Own the fixed asset but have another party operate the facility under a contract:  In this instance, most procurement decisions is at the instance of OMC, but in consultation with the other party.
3. Another party owns the fixed assets enters into an agreement with the OMC to run the gasoline station under that’s OMC’s brand and sell their products. In this case, the procurement decisions are made by the owner, but the OMC is involved in the process.

Most OMCs have a local company they work with to direct their procurement process. 

Please contact Commercial Service Specialist PaaEkow Quansah at Office.Accra@trade.gov to find out more information about doing business with these retail outlets and service stations.  To see Commercial Ghana’s other market intelligence reports, please see our market intelligence section.