GHANA
Oil and Gas
- Ghana’s Environmental Protection Authority Introduces Methane Guidelines for the Oil and Gas Sector
Ghana’s Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has published the Guidelines for the Inspection, Monitoring and Reporting of Fugitive Methane Emissions from Oil and Gas Operations to set standards for detecting, reporting and repairing methane leaks in the country’s oil and gas sector.
The Guidelines apply to Ghana’s upstream and midstream petroleum sectors and were developed with support from the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, the Africa Centre for Energy Policy and the Clean Air Task Force. They establish a legal and technical framework for methane management including through leak detection and repair (LDAR) programmes, emissions reporting and controls on venting and flaring.
Under the implementation roadmap, oil and gas companies are required to submit fugitive methane inspection plans within six months, complete their first leak detection and repair inspection within the first year, and progressively increase compliance over a five-year period.
- Government of Ghana to Sign Five New Petroleum Agreements with International Firms
Ghana's Ministry for Energy and Green Transition has announced that the Government of Ghana plans to sign five new petroleum agreements with international companies seeking to enter Ghana's upstream petroleum sector between 2026 and early 2027.
The Ministry, together with the Petroleum Commission, has begun reviewing Ghana's petroleum legislation, policies, and regulations with the aim of enhancing the competitiveness of fiscal terms and reflecting sector developments as part of efforts to enhance the competitiveness of Ghana’s upstream petroleum sector prior to the finalisation of the proposed petroleum agreements.
- Government of Ghana to Review Dollar-Based Payment Arrangements for Crude Supplied to Local Refineries
President John Dramani Mahama has directed the Ministry for Energy and Green Transition to review and restructure the payment framework for Ghanaian crude oil supplied to the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) and other local refineries. Currently, TOR must obtain US dollars to pay for domestically produced crude, as mandated by the Petroleum Revenue Management Act, 2011 (Act 815).
The proposed review, as part of the Government’s broader Reset Agenda, would allow local refineries to pay for domestically supplied crude in Ghana cedis rather than US dollars, easing pressure on the local currency, reducing the refinery's demand for foreign exchange, and potentially lowering transaction costs.
Mining
- GoldBod ends Buying-Agent Role for Bank of Ghana
The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has ended reliance on Bank of Ghana funding for gold purchases, moving away from the buying-agent model inherited from the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC) to a self-funded model for domestic gold aggregation.
GoldBod Chief Executive Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, explained that the previous model required Bank of Ghana to cover gold aggregation and foreign exchange facilitation costs. GoldBod has asked Bank of Ghana to end its intermediary role in facilitating foreign exchange between GoldBod and commercial banks, to cut costs and support financial self-sustainability. GoldBod now raises funds directly from commercial banks and gold offtakers, securing over US$450 million under the new model since March 2026. Bank of Ghana will no longer finance GoldBod’s daily operations, while GoldBod will manage its financing risks through offtake arrangements and forward foreign exchange sales
- GoldBod Introduces New Gold Purity Testing Standard
The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has announced that X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) assay will become the standard method for determining gold purity in all gold purchases from 1 September 2026.
The requirement will apply to GoldBod and all licensed buyers and aggregators. Under the new framework, water density testing will no longer be accepted as the definitive basis for determining gold purity, although it may be used temporarily as an indicative test where genuine operational difficulties prevent XRF use, subject to subsequent XRF testing by GoldBod.
Licensed buyers must acquire suitable XRF equipment, train staff and keep test records. Licensed aggregators must also make XRF equipment available to their Tier 1 and Tier 2 buyers.
- Government Proposes Reduction of Mining Lease Terms from 30 to 20 Years and Overhaul of Minerals and Mining Laws
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has disclosed that the Government is proposing amendments to the Minerals and Mining Act including a reduction of the maximum initial duration of large-scale mining leases from 30 years to 20 years, to prevent companies from holding concessions without sufficiently developing them.
Other key changes include tightening rules on exploration (reconnaissance and prospecting) licences, decentralising licensing through district mining committees, requiring community recommendations before licences are considered, and replacing reconnaissance and prospecting licences with a single five-year exploration licence.
Cabinet has approved the proposed amendments to the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) for submission to Parliament, aimed at ensuring responsible resource management, greater community participation, and maximum long-term socio-economic benefit from Ghana’s mineral wealth.
NIGERIA
Oil and Gas
- Federal Government Introduces Fiscal Incentive Framework for Deep Offshore Oil and Gas Projects
President Bola Tinubu has approved a rules-based fiscal incentive framework for qualifying deep offshore oil and gas projects through the Deep Offshore Oil and Gas Projects Incentives (Tax Remission) Order, 2026.
The Order replaces project-by-project fiscal negotiations with transparent eligibility criteria and implementation processes for qualifying developments. According to the Presidency, the framework is intended to unlock up to US$50 billion in deep offshore investment, beginning with the approximately US$10 billion Bonga South-West/Aparo project, and enable NNPC Limited to implement necessary amendments to eligible Production Sharing Contracts.
Projects qualifying under the framework are expected to maximise in-country execution where commercially and technically feasible, including domestic engineering, fabrication, marine logistics, technical services and project management.
- Bonga South-West/Aparo Project Moves Closer to FID as NNPC and OML 118 Partners Execute Addenda
NNPC Limited and the OML 118 contractor parties, comprising Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Deepwater) Limited and Nigerian Agip Exploration Limited, have executed addenda to the OML 118 Production Sharing Contract and Dispute Settlement Agreement for the Bonga South-West/Aparo project.
The addenda give effect to fiscal and commercial terms approved by the Federal Government following the Deep Offshore Oil and Gas Projects Incentives (Tax Remission) Order, 2026, and mark a further step towards Final Investment Decision (FID) for the project.
The contractor parties have also completed the Pre-FEED phase and identified a preferred FPSO contractor, subject to applicable partner, regulatory and governance approvals.
The project is expected to attract between US$15 billion and US$21 billion over its life and reach peak production of approximately 175,000 barrels of oil per day and 140 million standard cubic feet of gas per day.
- NUPRC Reports 4.6 Billion Barrels Produced from Deep Offshore Fields
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has reported that more than 4.6 billion barrels of crude oil have been produced from Nigeria's deep offshore assets.
According to NUPRC, deep offshore operations currently account for approximately 24% of Nigeria’s oil production and 19% of gas output. The NUPRC Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, stated that the Deep Offshore Oil and Gas Projects Incentives (Tax Remission) Executive Order, 2026 could support an additional one million barrels per day of crude oil and condensate production from deep offshore fields over the next four to five years.
- NMDPRA Proposes Regulations to Curb Anti-Competitive Practices in Petroleum Sector
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has released the draft Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Prevention of Anti-Competitive Practices and Behaviour Regulations, 2026 for stakeholder review.
The draft Regulations seek to prohibit licensees, market participants and groups of undertakings in the midstream and downstream petroleum sector from entering arrangements or practices that have the object or effect of preventing, restricting, or distorting competition. The proposed framework targets anti-competitive conduct including price fixing, coordinated pricing behaviour, market allocation, bid rigging, collective supply restrictions, price signalling and the exchange of commercially sensitive information among competitors.
In line with section 216(1) of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021 (PIA), NMDPRA has invited licensees, permit holders and other stakeholders to a consultation forum scheduled for 22 September 2026 in Abuja, Nigeria, to engage over the draft Regulations before their finalisation.
Power
- Federal Government Commences 13.92MWp Hybrid Solar Mini-Grid Project in Yobe
The Federal Government, through the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), has commenced construction of a 13.92MWp interconnected hybrid solar mini-grid project in Yobe State, bringing the cumulative capacity of government-backed solar power infrastructure either commissioned or under development across six states to 60.82MW. The Yobe project follows the development of 46.9MW of renewable energy infrastructure across Kogi, Rivers, Adamawa, Kebbi and Plateau States, including a 20MW mini-grid in Egume, Kogi State, an 11.9MWp project in Ogu-Bolo, Rivers State and 10MW project in Kofare, Adamawa State.
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