The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has issued a stern warning to fuel stations across the country operating without valid licenses, cautioning that such activities are illegal and will attract severe sanctions.
In a public notice on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, the NPA said it had identified several retail outlets engaging in fuel sales without the necessary regulatory approvals, a violation of the Petroleum Products Marketing Act.
According to the Authority, operating without a license poses risks to public safety, undermines industry standards, and deprives the state of essential revenue.
The NPA said it has observed that “some persons are engaged in illicit storage and marketing of petroleum products.”
The warning comes in adherence with Section 11 of the National Petroleum Authority Act, 2005 (Act 691), which mandates that “a person must obtain a license from the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) Board before engaging in any business or commercial activity within the petroleum downstream industry. This includes activities such as importation, exportation, refining, storage, distribution, marketing, and sale of petroleum products.”
Section 12 of the NPA Act, 2005 (Act 691), outlines the qualifications for obtaining a license from the National Petroleum Authority (NPA). Specifically, a license under this Act can only be granted to: (a) a citizen of Ghana; or (b) a body corporate registered under the Companies Code, 1963 (Act 179); or (c) a partnership registered under the Incorporated Private Partnerships Act, 1962 (Act 152); or (d) a foreign individual or company in a registered joint venture with a Ghanaian citizen or company.
The NPA urged fuel station owners to regularise their operations by applying for the required licenses and complying with safety protocols. It also called on the public to report any suspicious or unlicensed fuel retail activities.
The warning comes as part of the Authority’s ongoing nationwide inspection exercise aimed at ensuring that petroleum service providers meet legal and operational requirements.
Failure to comply, the NPA stressed, could lead to the closure of facilities, legal prosecution, and the revocation of operating permits.
