The Chief Executive Officer of Star Oil Ghana, Philip Tieku, has emphasized that the company’s emergence as Ghana’s leading oil marketing firm is the result of a broad strategic approach rather than merely competitive pricing.
According to Mr. Tieku, Star Oil’s impressive growth stems from a deliberate combination of efficiency, innovation, and disciplined management. He highlighted key pillars such as effective cost control, elimination of operational leakages, strict attention to fuel quality, and strong engagement with service station dealers as central to the company’s success.
“These are the total strategies that have gotten us to the top after years of hard work. It’s not just about our pricing strategy in response to developments over the years,” he said.
Mr. Tieku made these remarks during an interview on PM EXPRESS Business Edition on Joy News.
He acknowledged that while competitive pricing initially attracts customers, sustaining leadership in the oil marketing sector requires consistency, trust, and continuous improvement.
“There’s a level that price can take you, but sustaining it comes with a lot of strategies, and we worked hard to achieve that,” he added.
Driving Efficiency and Rewarding Performance
As part of Star Oil’s operational innovation, the company introduced a 20°C temperature compensation system—an incentive scheme designed to promote accountability and efficiency among tanker drivers.
“This system ensures that drivers receive 50% of any delivery overage as a trip bonus (minus tax). A portion of the remaining 50% is credited to the station to offset temperature variations, and the rest funds our enhanced remuneration and performance reward systems,” he explained.
Mr. Tieku noted that Star Oil reinvests savings from improved operational controls into employee welfare, a move he believes has attracted some of the most skilled professionals in the industry.
“We decided that cost savings from improved controls should benefit our workers, not just our balance sheet. Our attendants, all direct employees—not outsourced—now earn higher wages and performance incentives than anywhere in the industry,” he stated.
Market Leadership Confirmed
Data from the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) for the first five months of 2025 confirmed Star Oil’s dominance in the petroleum retail market, officially surpassing state-owned GOIL to claim the top position.
Between January and May 2025, Star Oil sold 336.3 million litres of petroleum products, maintaining its lead through the third quarter with 602 million litres sold as of September.
The company’s financial records for the first half of 2025 also show that it contributed GH₵1.1 billion in taxes to the government and employs 2,546 staff directly across 240 fuel stations nationwide.
Sustaining the Momentum
Addressing concerns about the sustainability of the company’s growth, Mr. Tieku expressed confidence in Star Oil’s long-term strategy.
“I heard some years ago that we wouldn’t survive the market. Today, we’ve moved from outside the top five to number one in the industry,” he remarked.
He affirmed that the company’s disciplined approach to management and continuous innovation would keep it at the forefront of the sector.
“We have not dropped our guard. We’re pressing ahead with the same principles and discipline that got us here. I don’t see this model collapsing any time soon,” he said confidently.
Looking ahead, Star Oil plans to extend its operations into the bulk oil distribution segment—part of a broader effort to strengthen its footprint across Ghana’s petroleum value chain.