Burkina Faso Petroleum Imports Through Ghana Reach 40 Percent
Burkina Faso operators will see changing supply routes as regional refining capacity at the Tema Oil Refinery stabilizes.
Updated on Oct. 31, 2026 in Oil and Gas
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Burkina Faso has increased its reliance on Ghana for petroleum product imports, rising to 40 percent in 2026 from 15 percent in 2024. This shift follows the successful resumption of operations at the Tema Oil Refinery, which has boosted regional logistics stability.
Why it matters
The operational recovery of the Tema Oil Refinery, which increased storage capacity and processing throughput, has improved regional fuel availability. This transition reduces reliance on disparate import sources by leveraging newly restored local infrastructure for energy logistics.
The Tema Oil Refinery increased its storage volumes from 426,954 metric tonnes in 2024 to 1.35 million metric tonnes in 2026, marking substantial growth in capacity. The facility also expanded its processing capability to 100,000 barrels per day and created 1,657 direct jobs.
The players
Tema Oil Refinery
A petroleum refining facility that acts as a transit and processing hub, recently expanding capacity to 100,000 barrels per day.
Burkina Faso
A landlocked nation that has significantly adjusted its petroleum supply chain to rely more heavily on Ghanaian transit routes.
Ghana
A coastal nation serving as a critical petroleum transit and refining partner for neighboring regional importers.
The details
The refinery achieved these gains by restarting its Crude Distillation Unit in December 2025, which had been idle throughout 2024. This move allowed the facility to process over five million barrels of crude oil since the restart. By stabilizing internal logistics, the refinery now serves as a key transit and refining hub, enabling Burkina Faso to streamline its procurement by consolidating imports through this newly active supply chain.
Timeline
2024: Refinery operations were idle.
December 2025: Refinery restarted Crude Distillation Unit.
September 2026: Revenue growth measurement period.
2028: Target date for 70 percent local fuel demand coverage.
Market Landscape
This recovery marks a shift toward regional energy self-sufficiency, moving closer to the government's 2028 target for 70 percent national fuel demand coverage. It reverses the operational stagnation observed in 2024 when idle infrastructure forced neighboring countries to source fuel elsewhere.
Operators in regional supply chains should monitor the refinery's continued output as it moves toward the 2028 capacity targets. Businesses relying on imported fuel should anticipate further adjustments in logistics costs and availability as regional refining capacity stabilizes.
The takeaway
The successful restart of the Tema Oil Refinery highlights the impact of infrastructure stability on regional import procurement. Operators should track the refinery's ability to maintain its 100,000 barrel-per-day processing capacity as a key indicator of fuel supply reliability in the region.
Further reading
For broader trends in regional infrastructure and supply chains, see our section on Oil and Gas.
Source note: This article includes information reported by BusinessGhana.
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