Star Oil CEO Fires Back at GOIL Amid Online Pricing War

Star Oil CEO Fires Back at GOIL Amid Online Pricing War

 The simmering rivalry between two of Ghana’s major indigenous oil marketing companies has spilled onto social media, with the Chief Executive Officer of Star Oil, Kwame Tieku, issuing a strongly worded public response to comments widely attributed to the leadership of GOIL PLC over fuel pricing credibility.

In a post that has since gained traction online, Mr. Tieku defended Star Oil’s aggressive pricing strategy, describing it as customer-focused rather than predatory, and rejecting claims that the company’s low prices are designed to undermine competitors or create a monopoly.

“Always pray for us… we are the most disliked in our industry because of what we do for the customer,” he wrote, adding that without Star Oil’s intervention, there would have been “no serious competition at all” in the downstream petroleum sector.

Recalling the 2022 Fuel Price Crisis

Mr. Tieku anchored his rebuttal in the recent history of Ghana’s fuel price volatility, particularly during the 2022 economic downturn when fuel prices surged sharply, compounding cost-of-living pressures for households and businesses.

According to him, Star Oil deliberately absorbed costs and leveraged its extensive retail network — which he said stood at 162 stations at the time — to moderate pump prices when others were “pricing along with the ‘obroni’ ones,” a reference to multinational oil firms.

“When prices were racing upwards unbearably for Ghanaians, we were the ones who kept prices as low as possible,” he said, suggesting that state-linked and larger competitors failed to play a stabilising role despite having the capacity to do so.

Credibility, Competition, and Market Trust

The Star Oil CEO questioned why the company’s pricing credibility is now being scrutinised, arguing that consumers have not forgotten which players offered relief during difficult times.

“Now they come questioning our credibility in low pricing?” he asked, punctuating the remark with laughter emojis that underscored the combative tone of the exchange.

He further revealed that Star Oil recorded its highest single-day sales figures over the weekend, a performance he attributed to customer loyalty and public trust rather than price manipulation.

“Starsavers are united more than ever before,” Mr. Tieku stated, disclosing that the company is on track to deliver 90 million litres of fuel by the end of the month.

A Broader Industry Signal

While GOIL PLC has not formally responded to the latest comments, industry analysts see the exchange as reflective of deeper tensions within Ghana’s downstream petroleum sector, where pricing strategies, market dominance, and consumer perception remain highly sensitive issues.

The public nature of the back-and-forth also highlights how corporate rivalry is increasingly being played out on digital platforms, blurring the lines between strategic communication, brand defence, and public accountability.

For consumers, however, the immediate concern remains fuel affordability. As competition intensifies, many are watching closely to see whether the rivalry translates into sustained price relief — or merely louder corporate sparring.

As Mr. Tieku put it, “Ghanaians have not forgotten.”