BY GRACE ZIGAH
The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has announced new minimum price floors for petroleum products for the next pricing window, a move that could put upward pressure on pump prices from September 1, 2026.
Under the new pricing directive covering September 1 to 16, the benchmark price for petrol has been increased from GH¢13.92 per litre to GH¢14.53, representing an increase of about 4.38 percent.
The price floor for diesel has also risen from GH¢15.19 to GH¢15.60 per litre, equivalent to an increase of approximately 2.69 percent.
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), however, is expected to see a marginal reduction, with the price floor falling from GH¢10.98 to GH¢10.85 per kilogramme.
The NPA has reminded Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) and LPG Marketing Companies (LPGMCs) that they are not permitted to sell below the approved price floors during the two-week pricing window.
The Authority clarified, however, that the announced floors do not include premiums charged by International Oil Trading Companies (IOTCs), operating margins of Bulk Import, Distribution and Export Companies (BIDECs), or the margins of marketers and dealers.
Despite the increase in the benchmarks, consumers may not immediately see corresponding increases at filling stations. Some OMCs have indicated that competition within the market could influence their final pump prices.
The development comes after government introduced a temporary intervention to cushion consumers against the rising cost of diesel. On August 3, 2026, government announced that it would absorb GH¢2 of the price of diesel at the pumps for one month.
Energy and Green Transition Minister John Jinapor subsequently indicated that the intervention was intended only for August and would be reviewed before any decision was made on its continuation.
