Q3 — Q4 2026 · ACCRA · REGISTER INTEREST
Programme 04 · Energy

Downstream Petroleum & OMC Operations

Operate profitably in Ghana's deregulated downstream, from depot to dispenser. A 5-day programme covering NPA compliance, supply-chain logistics, pricing strategy, HSSE management, and OMC financial risk. Built with senior leadership from the Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies (COMAC).

The energy transition isn't the end of downstream. It's the test of who runs it well.

The roadmap for transport and future energy markets cannot be drawn without the downstream oil & gas industry. But the world is transitioning toward a low-carbon future, and as that process accelerates, the sector faces increasing pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, assess transition risk to its existing business model, and operate with discipline that previous decades did not require.

By 2050, 60% of global oil and gas reserves will need to remain unextracted to meet the 1.5°C target. Over USD 1 trillion of oil & gas assets could become stranded. Without significant changes to current business models, sector incumbents are expected to lose market value rapidly. Operating well — efficient, compliant, profitable, safe — is no longer optional.

This programme equips professionals with a deep understanding of downstream operations, refining technologies, product distribution, and global market dynamics, plus the commercially driven decision-making to enhance efficiency and profitability under Ghana's deregulated regime. It is built and co-delivered with industry leadership from the Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies (COMAC).

Profitability under deregulation is not luck. It's discipline applied across the value chain.
What you'll learn

Six competencies. End-to-end downstream fluency.

01 / 06

Navigate Ghana's downstream regulatory environment

Confident engagement with NPA guidelines, licensing, quality standards, and compliance obligations across the OMC value chain.

02 / 06

Optimise supply chain & logistics

From importation through depot storage to retail distribution, managed for cost efficiency and service reliability.

03 / 06

Implement international-grade HSSE systems

Robust HSSE management at depots and retail outlets that protect employees, communities, and the environment.

04 / 06

Competitive pricing & market strategy

Develop pricing and market strategies that sustain profitability under deregulation and price volatility.

05 / 06

Assess & mitigate financial & operational risks

Identify and manage the risks specific to OMC operations: FX exposure, commodity volatility, credit risk, operational continuity.

06 / 06

Drive profitability through operational excellence

Convert operational discipline into commercial performance: the through-line of every module in this programme.

The Curriculum

Five modules. The full OMC value chain.

5 days · 5 modulesClick any module to see the topics covered
Module 01 Industry Structure & Regulation

The foundational landscape of Ghana's downstream petroleum sector: its structure, its stakeholders, and the regulatory framework administered by the National Petroleum Authority. The economic significance of downstream in national development, the market structure, and the roles and responsibilities of every player in the value chain.

  • Overview of the downstream petroleum sector
  • Market structure & key stakeholders (OMCs, BDCs, regulators)
  • National Petroleum Authority (NPA) guidelines & regulations
  • Licensing, permits & compliance requirements
  • Quality standards & product specifications
  • Regulatory reporting & documentation
  • Economic significance & national development role
Module 02 Supply Chain, Logistics & Operational Excellence

An in-depth exploration of the petroleum supply chain from importation to final distribution. Strategic approaches to managing complex logistics, optimising inventory, and accurately forecasting demand, including the operational bottlenecks that OMCs face, the technology that addresses them, and the KPIs that prove it works.

  • Petroleum import & procurement processes
  • Storage and depot management
  • Transportation & distribution logistics
  • Inventory optimisation & stock management
  • Demand forecasting & planning
  • Operational efficiency & bottleneck identification
  • Technology solutions for supply chain optimisation
  • KPIs & performance measurement
Module 03 Pricing, Market Dynamics & Profitability Strategies

The complex dynamics of petroleum pricing in a deregulated environment: pricing formulas, market liberalisation, competitive strategy, margin management, and the levers of sustainable profitability under volatile conditions. The strategies that create real competitive advantage and the customer-retention discipline that compounds it.

  • Petroleum pricing mechanisms & formulas
  • Impacts of deregulation & market liberalisation
  • Competitive analysis & market positioning
  • Cost management & margin optimisation
  • Revenue enhancement strategies
  • Profitability drivers in OMC operations
  • Customer retention & market share strategies
  • Commercial decision-making frameworks
Module 04 Health, Safety, Security & Environment (HSSE) Management

Building world-class HSSE management systems for depot and retail operations. International best practices in risk assessment, hazard identification, incident prevention, emergency response, and the creation of a behavioural safety culture that compounds over time, protecting employees, communities, and the environment.

  • HSSE regulatory framework & standards
  • Risk assessment & hazard identification
  • Incident prevention & safety protocols
  • Emergency response & crisis management
  • Environmental protection & pollution control
  • Occupational health standards
  • Security management at depots & retail outlets
  • Safety audits & compliance inspections
  • HSSE culture & behavioural safety
  • Incident investigation & root cause analysis
Module 05 Financial Management & Risk for OMCs

The financial management tools and risk-mitigation strategies specific to OMC operations. Financial planning, working capital, credit risk, cash flow optimisation, plus the unique exposures of petroleum operations: foreign exchange, commodity price volatility, and the hedging strategies that contain them.

  • Financial planning & budgeting for OMCs
  • Working capital management
  • Credit risk & receivables management
  • Cash flow optimisation
  • Foreign exchange risk & hedging
  • Commodity price volatility management
  • Financial analysis & performance metrics
  • Risk management frameworks
  • Investment appraisal & capital allocation
  • Financial reporting & compliance
2026 Cohort

Cohort opening. Register interest for Q3 — Q4 2026.

The next 2026 cohort is being scheduled for the second half of the year in coordination with COMAC and our co-faculty. Register your interest below and we'll confirm dates with you directly, or contact us about an in-house engagement for your OMC's team.

Who should attend

Built for the people who actually run the OMC.

From depot supervisors to regulatory officers to OMC executives, anyone whose work touches Ghana's downstream value chain will find direct, applied value here.

01

OMC managers & executives

Operating and senior management of oil marketing companies, building the commercial and operational disciplines that distinguish a well-run OMC.

02

Petroleum supply chain & logistics professionals

Procurement, depot operations, inventory, transportation, and distribution professionals across the downstream value chain.

03

Regulatory compliance officers

Compliance professionals at OMCs and BDCs working under NPA regulations, and at regulators themselves.

04

HSSE managers & coordinators

Health, safety, security, and environment leads building world-class systems at depots and retail outlets.

05

Financial analysts in the petroleum sector

Finance teams managing the unique exposures of downstream operations: FX, commodity volatility, working capital, credit risk.

06

Government officials & policymakers in energy

Public-sector professionals at the Ministry of Energy, NPA, and related agencies who shape the regulatory environment.

07

Professionals transitioning into downstream

Career-stage professionals from finance, consulting, or other industries entering the downstream petroleum sector.

The Faculty

Co-delivered with industry leadership from COMAC.

This programme combines EM Advisory's economic and strategic expertise with the active industry leadership of the Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies — the voice of OMC operations in Ghana — and specialist faculty in downstream and energy economics.

AG

Dr Abudu Abdul-Ganiyu

Managing Partner · Strategy & Economic Efficiency Lead

Lead facilitator on strategy and economic efficiency. Extensive experience in cost-benefit analysis, organisational restructuring, and systems interventions, including direct experience at Ghana's Ministry of Finance advising on power sector reforms and public sector efficiency.

Credentials DBA, Sheffield Business School (UK)
MBA Strategic & Project Management, ESG-PGSM (France)
Former Technical Advisor, Ghana Ministry of Finance
RO

Dr Riverson Oppong

Industrial Coordinator · CEO, COMAC Ghana

Industrial co-coordinator of the programme. Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies (COMAC), the leading industry association representing Ghana's OMCs and their interests in the deregulated downstream environment. Brings direct, current operational and regulatory insight.

Role PhD
CEO & Industrial Coordinator
Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies, Ghana
AB

Abdul-Fatahi A.K. Abubakar

Downstream Petroleum Specialist

Specialist facilitator on the technical and operational dimensions of downstream petroleum, from depot operations and retail through to the regulatory and commercial interfaces that define day-to-day work in an OMC.

Specialisation PhD candidate
Downstream Petroleum
Operations & regulation
ZA

Ziblim Aminu

Energy Economist

Specialist faculty on the economics of the energy sector: pricing dynamics, market structure, the financial implications of deregulation, and the macro-level forces (transition risk, commodity volatility, FX) that shape OMC outcomes.

Specialisation Energy economics
Pricing & market structure
Transition & commodity risk
Investment & Inclusions

One tuition fee. Across the full value chain.

Tuition covers the full five days of in-person delivery, all training materials, your professional certificate, and continued advisory access from the EM Advisory and COMAC faculty.

Tuition
GHC6,000
Per participant · Catering & faculty amenities included
What's included
  • Full 5-day expert-led tuition
  • Course materials & reference packs
  • Faculty amenities
  • Catering throughout
  • Professional certificate on completion
  • COMAC industry insight sessions
  • Post-training advisory access
  • Networking with peer practitioners
Team discount: 10% off tuition for three or more participants from the same organisation. Payment due at least one week before the start of the cohort. Bank: Zenith Bank · Account name: Emerging Markets Advisory Ltd · Account: 6012639317 · Branch: Premium Towers.
Register Interest

Reserve your seat for Q3 — Q4 2026.

Complete this form and our admissions team will confirm cohort dates and joining details with you directly within one business day.

Programme Application — Downstream Petroleum 2026

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