IES calls for strict enforcement of NPA price floor and uniformity policies

The Institute for Energy Security (IES) has called on the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) to strictly enforce its Price Floor and Price Uniformity policies to protect Ghana’s downstream petroleum market from what it describes as growing structural and regulatory threats.

In a statement issued on January 25, 2026, the energy policy think tank warned that recent pricing behaviour among oil marketing companies (OMCs) could undermine market stability and consumer protection if left unaddressed.

According to IES, findings from industry observations and independent market monitoring point to “deepening structural, compliance and pricing integrity challenges” within the downstream petroleum sector.

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The institute aligned itself with an earlier assessment by the Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies (COMAC), noting that the market remains significantly over-licensed. Ghana currently has more than 229 licensed oil marketing and liquefied petroleum gas marketing companies, many of which are dormant or persistently non-compliant.

“The retention of active licences by at least 53 non-operational entities weakens regulatory discipline, distorts competition, and enables regulatory arbitrage,” the statement said.

IES cautioned that this oversaturation, coupled with weak enforcement, has fuelled intense price competition beyond economically sustainable levels, threatening the long-term viability of the sector.

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The institute also raised concerns about ex-pump pricing trends observed as at January 20, 2026, within the NPA pricing window for January 16 to 31. COMAC data placed the NPA floor prices at GH¢9.80 per litre for petrol and GH¢10.47 per litre for diesel.

While some OMCs maintained prices above the prescribed floor, IES said others were offering discounts dangerously close to it, with instances of petrol reportedly being sold marginally below the administered floor price.

“Any pricing below the floor, however marginal, constitutes a serious regulatory violation,” IES stated, adding that such practices undermine the authority of the NPA and confer unfair competitive advantage on non-compliant operators.

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The institute further criticised selective discounting across OMC retail networks, describing it as a direct breach of the Price Uniformity Policy.

“Selective discounting fragments the retail pricing landscape, reduces transparency, and concentrates consumer benefits in competitive urban areas while exposing consumers in less competitive or rural locations to higher prices,” the statement noted.

IES said this practice also distorts the intent of the Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund (UPPF), which is designed to equalise fuel prices nationwide.

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In response, the institute urged the NPA to immediately investigate and sanction offending OMCs, strictly enforce uniform pricing, withdraw dormant licences, and strengthen monitoring at the retail level to ensure compliance.