The Commission has commenced a week-long Peer-to-Peer Learning Exercise with the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) of Kenya, bringing together technical experts from both institutions to exchange knowledge, strengthen regulatory capacity and deepen institutional collaboration in Africa’s upstream petroleum sector.
The engagement, which began today, provides a platform for both regulators to share experiences, discuss best practices and explore practical approaches to addressing common industry challenges.
Delivering the opening remarks on behalf of the Ag. CEO of the Commission, Ms. Emeafa Hardcastle, the Ag. Deputy CEO of the Commission, Nasir Alfa Mohammed Esq., welcomed the Kenyan delegation to Ghana and emphasized the importance of collaboration among African regulatory institutions in advancing the continent’s petroleum industry.
He noted that although Ghana and Kenya operate within different national contexts, both countries share a common commitment to promoting sound regulation, attracting responsible investment, enhancing local participation, protecting the environment and ensuring that petroleum resources deliver lasting benefits to their citizens.
“The exchange of experiences, lessons and practical solutions among regulators is one of the most effective ways of strengthening institutional excellence across Africa. This engagement is therefore not merely about sharing knowledge, it is about co-creating better regulatory solutions for Africa,” Mr. Mohammed stated.
Responding on behalf of the Kenyan delegation, Coastal Regional Manager of EPRA, Mr. Francis Keri, expressed appreciation to the Commission for hosting the exercise and commended the Commission for putting together a comprehensive programme that addresses the delegation’s areas of interest.
“This engagement reflects our shared belief that African institutions can learn from one another. As Kenya stands on the threshold of petroleum production, we have come to learn from Ghana’s experience. We are particularly pleased that many of the areas we were interested in have been incorporated into the programme, and we are confident that the lessons we gain here will contribute significantly to the growth of our petroleum industry” he mentioned.
Mr. Keri further observed that Ghana continues to enjoy a positive reputation among industry stakeholders for the progress it has made in regulating its upstream petroleum sector, adding that the delegation was optimistic that the knowledge and practical experiences shared throughout the exercise would be valuable to Kenya’s evolving petroleum industry.
Participants engaged in technical discussions on key aspects of the upstream petroleum sectors of both Ghana and Kenya.
The sessions cover Ghana’s upstream petroleum industry, Kenya’s upstream petroleum industry, institutional and regional coordination for upstream petroleum operations, as well as regulatory oversight, inspection and compliance enforcement.
The presentations have generated insightful discussions, with participants actively asking questions, sharing experiences and exchanging perspectives on industry best practices.
The peer learning exercise will continue over the coming days with presentations on local content implementation, stakeholder and community engagement, health, safety and environmental management, as well as field visits to selected petroleum industry facilities.
The programme will conclude with discussions on institutional coordination, legal and policy frameworks supporting commercial oil production, and a closing session outlining the next steps for continued collaboration between the two institutions.