By Daniel Bampoe
The push toward a full-scale 24-hour economy has taken a significant step forward, with the 24-Hour Economy Authority sealing a strategic partnership with the National Petroleum Authority, NPA to anchor the country’s energy backbone to the ambitious transformation agenda.
The agreement, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in Accra on March 31, 2026, is designed to ensure that the downstream petroleum sector is fully aligned with the demands of a non-stop economy.
The move comes amid growing government efforts to operationalise the 24-hour economy policy—one of the flagship initiatives aimed at boosting productivity, industrialisation, and job creation.
At the heart of the partnership is a coordinated plan to expand round-the-clock operations across fuel stations, refineries, bulk storage facilities, and fuel transportation systems.
Under the agreement, the NPA will be responsible for developing and enforcing strict operational readiness standards to support continuous service delivery.
These include requirements on lighting systems, security arrangements, staffing protocols, digital fuel monitoring, and fire safety measures.
The 24-Hour Economy Authority, on the other hand, will focus on creating the enabling environment necessary for the policy to succeed. This includes coordinating security deployments and facilitating cross-government collaboration to support operators who meet the certification requirements for 24-hour service.
The initiative is rooted in a broader economic transformation strategy that seeks to expand Ghana’s productive capacity through industrial growth, agro-processing, and improved logistics networks.
Policymakers believe that a reliable, uninterrupted fuel supply is a critical enabler for these sectors, particularly for manufacturers, transport operators, and traders who will depend on continuous operations. Presidential Adviser on the 24-hour economy programme, Augustus Goosie Tanoh, emphasised that the initiative goes beyond simply extending business hours.
According to him, the programme is focused on building the industrial and commercial capacity that will generate sustained demand for 24-hour services across the economy.
Similarly, the Chief Executive of the NPA, Godwin Kudzo Tameklo, noted that the agreement aligns with the Authority’s regulatory mandate of the government’s broader economic agenda.
He stressed that clear and enforceable standards will be critical in protecting workers, consumers, and key infrastructure as the sector transitions into continuous operations. Implementation of the policy will begin with a nationwide pilot phase covering approximately 10 percent of the downstream petroleum sector.
Security deployment has been identified as an immediate priority, with the NPA already setting up a Steering Committee and technical sub-committees to guide the transition process.
The partnership also brings together a wide network of stakeholders across the petroleum and logistics value chain, including industry associations, tanker drivers, bulk distributors, state agencies, and private investors.
Institutions such as the Ghana Police Service, National Security Secretariat, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, and the Ghana Revenue Authority are expected to play supporting roles in ensuring seamless execution.
The collaboration marks a critical milestone in the attempt to transition from a traditional daytime economy to a continuous, productivity-driven system.
While challenges such as security, cost of operations, and compliance remain, the government is betting on strong institutional coordination to deliver results.
