Ghana and Uganda are deepening cooperation in the upstream petroleum sector as regulators from both countries exchange practical lessons on petroleum governance, regulation and operations.
The engagement, hosted by Ghana’s Petroleum Commission, brought together the Commission and the Board of Directors of Uganda’s Petroleum Authority for a high-level peer-learning session aimed at strengthening regulatory capacity and institutional cooperation.
Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Commission, Emeafa Hardcastle, said the engagement provides an opportunity for both regulators to share experiences, address common challenges and strengthen petroleum governance.
She said Ghana was prepared to share lessons from its transition from petroleum exploration and development to commercial production, particularly in legal and regulatory frameworks, expenditure oversight, health and safety, environmental standards, investment facilitation and local content development.
Ms. Hardcastle emphasised the importance of local content in ensuring that Ghanaian citizens and businesses derive meaningful benefits from the petroleum industry.
Board Chairman of the Petroleum Commission, Ernest Thompson, said peer learning among African petroleum regulators was increasingly important as the sector faces more complex technical, regulatory and environmental challenges.
He noted that Ghana had also been following Uganda’s progress in onshore petroleum development, particularly in areas including resource management, community engagement and environmental safeguards.
Speaking on behalf of the Ugandan delegation, Petroleum Authority of Uganda Board member Prof. Vincent Bagire said Uganda was seeking to learn from Ghana’s experience as the country advances towards first oil.
The Petroleum Commission subsequently delivered technical presentations on Ghana’s petroleum legal and regulatory framework, institutional arrangements, upstream operations, local content development, and health, safety and environmental management.
The discussions also examined investment attraction, efficient petroleum resource management, environmental and safety standards and the implications of the global energy transition for both countries.
The exchange holds particular relevance for Ghana as it explores opportunities beyond its established offshore petroleum activities, including potential development in the Voltaian Basin. Uganda’s experience with onshore petroleum development could provide useful lessons as Ghana assesses its own onshore prospects.
The two institutions ended the engagement with a commitment to sustain knowledge exchange and explore deeper cooperation as Ghana and Uganda work to ensure their petroleum resources contribute to long-term national development.