Ghana’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) 2026: Energy Sector Review
On 7 January 2025, the Government of Ghana under the leadership of H.E. President John Dramani Mahama assumed office at a time when the country’s economy and several key sectors were facing considerable pressures. The energy sector has been one of the most affected, with long‑standing financial and operational challenges across the electricity and petroleum value chains. Over the past decade, these challenges have accumulated and continue to weigh on sector performance.
On Friday, 27 February 2026, President Mahama delivered his State of the Nation Address (SONA) to Parliament, to present an account of the Government’s actions and policy direction during its first year in office. The address provided updates on developments across several sectors of the economy, including the energy sector.
For the energy sector, the President noted efforts to stabilize sector finances, restore payment discipline across the power value chain, expand electricity access, strengthen upstream petroleum investment, and advance renewable energy deployment.
Given the strategic importance of the sector, the International Perspective for Policy & Governance (IPPG) has undertaken a focused review of the energy‑related updates contained in the President’s address. This review examines the key measures reported by the President and considers their implications for financial sustainability, sector governance, energy security, investment confidence, and the country’s energy transition objectives.
The analysis draws on IPPG’s ongoing policy research and advocacy work on Ghana’s energy sector, including findings from the “Securing Ghana’s Energy Future: Policy Actions for Sustainability and Efficiency” report published in July 2025, which documented the structural sources of the sector’s financial and operational challenges.
Against this background, this review assesses the progress reported by the President, while highlighting areas where further policy clarity, implementation discipline, and institutional reform will be necessary to place the sector on a more stable and sustainable footing.
This review therefore aims to contribute to informed policy dialogue by situating the Government’s reported actions within the broader reform agenda required to strengthen the financial health, operational performance, and long term resilience of Ghana’s energy sector.
Previous Post