The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has upgraded the standard for gasoline, commonly known as petrol or super, in the country.
This follows the review of the Ghana Standard for gasoline to align with the requirements of regular-grade gasoline with EURO IV and ECOWAS standards for gasoline.
The new standard also requires that premium-grade gasoline requirements comply with the Euro V standard.
The regulator of the downstream petroleum sector has, therefore, directed that, effective January 2024, all gasoline imported into Ghana must meet EURO IV and EURO V for regular and premium grades, respectively.
Speaking to the media, the Chief Executive Officer of the NPA, Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, explained that the standard has become higher, particularly in terms of manganese, which is now at a maximum of six milligrams per liter for regular petrol and two milligrams per liter for premium petrol. He added that the upgraded standard will not affect prices.
It is compulsory for all oil marketing companies (OMCs) to ensure that the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) is capable of meeting the standard, particularly for regular gasoline.
The NPA gave the previous standard at eighteen milligrams per liter maximum for both regular and premium petrol.
The review was undertaken in collaboration with the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) and other relevant stakeholders.
It is compulsory for all oil marketing companies (OMCs) to comply with the new standard by January 1, next year.
The rationale for the review includes changes in engine technology as well as adoption of the new improved standards for the sub-region.
The NPA further explained that a significant number of spark ignition vehicles in Ghana are designed to run on gasoline that conforms with EURO IV and EURO V requirements. The NPA continued that such vehicles were equipped with advanced technologies that required lower or no metal additives in gasoline to ensure optimal engine performance.