The Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor and 35 others received various recognitions at the 9th Ghana Energy Awards held in Accra on Friday, November 28, 2025.
Received on his behalf by the Deputy Minister for Energy, the Minister was also honoured as the Energy Sector Reformer of the Year.
The award was for the policy and regulatory initiatives undertaken during the award period.
In his keynote address on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Minister Richard Gyan-Mensah reaffirmed the government’s commitment to restructuring the energy sector.
“We will pursue our aim of increasing the contribution of renewable energy … and ensure every Ghanaian is connected to the grid,” he said.
PROGRESS
He noted that although the energy sector faced “uncertainty, structural weakness and urgent operational risk,” intentional interventions over the past 10 months had produced stabilising outcomes.
“Through difficult decisions, disciplined management, strengthened stakeholder engagement and renewed investment outreach, we have begun stabilising the sector,” he said.
“Fuel supply to thermal plants has significantly improved… key financial obligations have been addressed and confidence among upstream players has started to return.”
However, he stressed that the industry was still vulnerable. “Let me be clear, we are not out of the woods yet. We are starting again. We are heading out of the woods.”
The Chairman of the awards panel, Kwame Jantuah, in his welcome address, indicated that the theme for the year reflected the central role of energy in Ghana’s economic transformation.
CATEGORIES
Under the theme: “Repositioning the Energy Sector as a Pillar of National Development,” the 9th edition of the Ghana Energy Awards featured 26 competitive and six honorary categories.
COMPETITIVE AWARDS
Energy Personality of the Year (Male) – Edward Ekow Obeng-Kenzo, Chief Executive, Volta River Authority; Energy Personality of the Year (Female) – Judith Adjobah Blay, Chief Executive Officer, Ghana National Gas Limited Company; CEO of the Year (Power) – Kwame Kpekpena, Managing Director, Electricity Company of Ghana; CEO of the Year (Petroleum) –Maurizio Pinna, Managing Director, Eni Ghana Exploration & Production Company Limited.
Others are Visionary Leadership Award – Kow Eduakwa Sam, Chief Executive Officer, Bui Power Authority; Outstanding Local Content Initiative of the Year – Ghana National Petroleum Corporation; Energy Company of the Year (Power) – Ghana Grid Company Limited; Energy Company of the Year (Petroleum) – BOST Energies Limited Company; Energy Company of the Year (Renewable) – SolPower Company Limited; Energy Institution of the Year – University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR).
Emerging Female Leader in Energy went to Susana Tiwaah Badu-Osei, Plant Operations Manager, Power Operations Department, Bui Power Authority; Rising Star Individual (Male) –Hubert Nsoh Zan, Assistant Manager, Energy Efficiency, Energy Commission.
Rising Star Individual (Female) – Spes Enyonam Gbeddy, Senior Electrical Engineer, Protection and Control Section, Ghana Grid Company Limited; Rising Star Company – McHall Project Consulting; The Energy Signature Award – Duncan Amoah, Executive Secretary, Chamber of Petroleum Consumers; Chief Green Trailblazer Award – Lesley Arthur, Chief Executive Officer, Cubica Energy Company Limited; Downstream Company of the Year –Star Oil Company Limited; Energy Reporter of the Year – Shadrack Odame Agyare, Metro TV Ghana; Innovation Project of the Year – Meinergy Technology Limited; Energy Think Tank of the Year – Africa Sustainable Energy Centre.
Other Awardees were Energy Advocate of the Year – Riverson Oppong, Chief Executive Officer, Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies; Energy Sector Operational Resilience Award – J.K. Horgle Transport and Company Limited; Excellence in Power Generation – Sunon Asogli Power (Ghana) Limited; Clean Energy Initiative of the Year – Bui Power Authority; Brand of the Year – Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies; Corporate Social Responsibility of the Year – TotalEnergies Marketing Ghana PLC; Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) Excellence Award – Volta River Authority; Energy Infrastructure Partnership of the Year – Energy Commission and Upstream Company of the Year – Eni Ghana Exploration & Production Company Limited.
NON-COMPETITIVE AWARDS
For the non-competitive awards, Osagyefo Young Leadership Award – Matthew Seddoh Akatey – General Manager, Engineering and Operations, Helios Solar Company; Women In Energy Excellence Award – Victoria Emeafa Hardcastle, Chief Executive Officer, Petroleum Commission; Exemplary Leadership Award – Ishmael Ackah, Technical Advisor, Ministry for Energy and Green Transition; Energy Business Leadership Award – Michael Bozumbil, Chief Executive Officer, PETROSOL Platinum Energy Limited; Lifetime Achievement Award –Jabesh Amissah-Arthur, Managing Partner Arthur Energy Africa, and Board Chairman, Volta River Authority; Energy Sector Reformer of the Year – Dr. John Abdulai Jinapor, Minister for Energy and Green Transition; African Energy Leadership Excellence Award – Anthony E. Paul, Energy, Policy and Strategy Advisor.
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