Diesel and petrol remained Ghana’s largest imported commodities in 2025, underscoring the country’s continued and heavy dependence on imported petroleum products despite ongoing efforts to strengthen domestic refining capacity and improve the external trade balance.
New data from the Ghana Statistical Service’s (GSS) 2025 Annual International Merchandise Trade Statistics Report reveal the scale of this reliance in stark terms. Diesel imported for the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) emerged as Ghana’s single largest import, valued at GH¢28.46 billion and accounting for 11.2 percent of the country’s total import bill.
Light oils, including motor spirit (super), ranked second with imports worth GH¢23.24 billion, representing 9.2 percent of total imports.
Taken together, diesel and petrol imports reached GH¢51.7 billion in 2025. This combined figure accounted for more than one-fifth of Ghana’s entire import expenditure, highlighting the profound impact of energy demand on the national import bill and, by extension, on foreign exchange reserves.
The dominance of these two products alone illustrates how central refined petroleum remains to the functioning of the Ghanaian economy, powering transportation, industry, electricity generation and everyday commercial activity.
The figures reinforce the strategic urgency of expanding domestic petroleum refining capacity. Policymakers have long argued that reducing reliance on imported fuel is essential to ease pressure on Ghana’s foreign exchange reserves, stabilise the cedi and improve the country’s overall trade position.
While investments in the Tema Oil Refinery and related infrastructure continue, the 2025 data show that the structural dependence on imported refined products remains firmly in place.
Beyond petroleum products, the report shows that used vehicles with engine capacities between 1,500cc and 3,000cc ranked as the third-largest import category, valued at GH¢9.33 billion. Crude petroleum followed in fourth place at GH¢5.78 billion, while cement clinkers, a critical input for domestic cement production, completed the top five with imports valued at GH¢4.76 billion.
The rest of Ghana’s top ten imports further illustrate the country’s demand for capital equipment, transport assets and essential consumer and industrial goods. T
hese included off-highway dumpers, used vehicles with engine capacities between 1,000cc and 1,500cc, self-propelled bulldozers, processed cereal grains and frozen chicken. Collectively, the top ten imported commodities accounted for 34.3 percent of Ghana’s total imports. All other imported goods made up the remaining 65.7 percent.
Overall, Ghana’s total import bill reached GH¢253.23 billion in 2025. The composition of this import basket reflects the continued dominance of energy products, transport equipment and industrial inputs in the country’s external trade profile.
At the same time, the data highlight persistent structural challenges. Ghana continues to rely heavily on imported refined petroleum products and capital goods even as successive governments pursue policies aimed at local refining, industrialisation and import substitution.
The heavy concentration of imports in a relatively small number of categories also points to vulnerabilities. Sharp movements in global oil prices, disruptions in shipping or changes in the availability of used vehicles and construction equipment can quickly translate into higher import costs and greater pressure on the balance of payments. In this context, the scale of petroleum imports remains particularly significant, both as a driver of foreign exchange demand and as a key factor in domestic inflation and transport costs.
While the presence of crude petroleum among the top imports suggests some feedstock is still being brought in for refining, the far larger volumes of already refined diesel and petrol indicate that domestic refining capacity is not yet sufficient to meet national demand.
Closing this gap would not only reduce the import bill but also create opportunities for value addition, job creation and greater energy security.
Similarly, the substantial imports of used vehicles and heavy construction equipment point to strong demand in the transport and infrastructure sectors, areas that are critical for economic growth but which continue to rely on external supply chains.
Cement clinkers, meanwhile, underscore the ongoing need for industrial inputs to support the construction industry, even as local manufacturers expand production.
The GSS report therefore provides more than a snapshot of trade flows. It offers a clear picture of the structural features of Ghana’s economy and the priorities that must guide future policy. Reducing the share of refined petroleum in the import bill, accelerating industrial upgrading and strengthening local production of key intermediate goods remain central to improving the trade balance and building a more resilient economy.
In summary, the 2025 trade statistics confirm that diesel and petrol continue to dominate Ghana’s import landscape.
Until domestic refining and broader industrial capacity expand meaningfully, the country will remain exposed to the costs and risks associated with heavy dependence on imported energy and capital goods.
