Ghana reportedly lost over GH¢600 million in tax revenue in 2025 due to 199 million litres of unaccounted petroleum products, according to the 2025 Petroleum Product Analysis Report. The revenue, which was expected from taxes, levies, and regulatory charges, was not properly captured within the national petroleum accounting system.
The Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies indicated that the unaccounted volume represents about 2.1% of the country’s total petroleum supply for the year. The report highlights key trends in Ghana’s petroleum sector, noting a sharp 36.7% increase in imports to 8.71 billion litres, driven by strong domestic and commercial demand, even as local refinery output declined.
The analysis also revealed that petroleum exports rose to 658,500 metric tonnes in 2025, largely consisting of re-exports of petrol, diesel, and LPG to neighbouring countries including Burkina Faso, Mali, and Togo. However, despite this growth, the sector remains heavily import-dependent, with imports accounting for more than 90% of total supply, exposing the economy to price volatility and foreign exchange pressures.
The Chamber attributed the unaccounted volumes partly to suspected illegal activities and gaps in monitoring across the value chain, despite ongoing regulatory reforms. It has therefore called for stricter oversight, improved reconciliation systems, and enhanced tracking mechanisms, including real-time tank gauging and full integration of modular refineries into national monitoring platforms such as ERDMS and ICUMS, to strengthen transparency and curb revenue losses.