The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has begun a high-level, weeklong technical engagement with a delegation from Brazil’s national oil company, Petrobras, aimed at deepening bilateral cooperation and strengthening technical collaboration between the two national oil companies.
The engagement, which runs from January 19 to 23, 2026, marks a significant step in revitalising a longstanding relationship between GNPC and Petrobras and advancing Ghana’s upstream petroleum objectives.
The programme commenced at GNPC’s Research and Technology Centre (RTC) in Accra, where the Petrobras delegation was formally received by GNPC’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Kwame Ntow Amoah, together with members of GNPC’s senior management and technical leadership.
Welcoming the delegation, Mr. Ntow Amoah described the visit as a timely renewal of a partnership that dates back to the early years of GNPC’s establishment.
“This engagement builds on a relationship that spans several decades,” he said. “During GNPC’s formative years, Petrobras supported our institutional development and capacity-building efforts. Today’s visit reflects our shared commitment to practical collaboration anchored in clearly defined mutual priorities.”
The Acting CEO highlighted Petrobras’ role in GNPC’s establishment in 1983, particularly in areas of strategic organisational planning. He noted that the current phase of cooperation is reinforced by a recently signed Confidentiality Agreement, which provides a formal legal framework for deep technical data sharing and collaborative research.
At the core of the weeklong engagement is a strategic effort to align Petrobras’ world-class technical expertise with Ghana’s evolving upstream ambitions. GNPC’s Deputy Chief Executive (Technical), Mr. Michael Aryeetey, briefed the delegation on Ghana’s petroleum landscape and outlined GNPC’s roadmap for sustainable growth.
Mr. Aryeetey said a key priority is the implementation of strategic interventions to reverse declining production by optimising output from existing assets and marginal fields. He also underscored GNPC’s focus on strengthening its operatorship capabilities to enhance its ability to lead complex exploration and production projects.
He further highlighted opportunities in Ghana’s frontier exploration, particularly within the Voltaian Basin, where Petrobras’ experience in complex geological settings is expected to add significant value and support efforts to unlock the basin’s hydrocarbon potential.
Speaking on behalf of the seven-member Petrobras delegation, Mr. Rafael Pinto de Freitas, Upstream Joint Venture Development Engineer, described the visit as exploratory and learning-focused.
“This visit is driven by a genuine interest in understanding GNPC’s strategy and identifying areas where both companies can collaborate to create shared value,” he said. He explained that the engagement will assess the technical and commercial positions of both entities as a foundation for long-term partnership.
Throughout the week, the Petrobras team is scheduled to participate in intensive data room sessions, technical reviews and interactive workshops at the GNPC Research and Technology Centre.
The engagement forms part of GNPC’s broader strategic mandate to collaborate with leading global National Oil Companies to accelerate knowledge transfer, strengthen internal technical capacity and ensure sustainable value creation for Ghana’s petroleum sector.
