Plugging the Pipeline: SML Ghana Demonstrates Real-Time Solutions to Downstream Tax Revenue Losses at UPSA Revenue Leakage Dialogue

Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Ltd. (SML) has unveiled cutting-edge monitoring solutions designed to curb tax revenue losses in Ghana’s upstream petroleum and solid minerals sectors. The company presented these innovations to a cross-section of academics and students, regulators, and industry leaders during a dialogue on tax revenue leakages, hosted by the Faculty of Accounting and Finance (FAF) at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA).

The dialogue, which sought to explore practical interventions for improving Ghana’s revenue mobilization efforts, provided a platform for SML to showcase how real-time data and technology can address persistent gaps in resource tracking and fiscal accountability.

“For the first time, Ghana will be able to know exactly what is happening in the upstream petroleum sector in real time,” said Dr. Yaa Serwaa Sarpong, Director of Support Services at SML. 

“From extraction to export, every litre of crude oil produced can now be tracked,” she added. 

SML’s upstream system is currently designed to cover the country’s three Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels. The technology integrates production flow meters, tank-level sensors, and offtake meters to provide real-time visibility of petroleum volumes. This will enable end-to-end reconciliation of production, storage, and offtake—an area that has long been susceptible to opacity and accountability.

In parallel, SML introduced its Solid Mineral Monitoring System focused on the gold sector. Using AI-powered scanning tools, the system captures key attributes such as weight, purity, and mineral composition of gold bars from production sites to refineries. “Our system calculates royalties with precision, offering a clear audit trail for revenue agencies,” Hamdan Abubakar, SML’s Head of Engineering, explained. 

Both platforms are designed to integrate with existing systems at the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Minerals Commission. They are expected to be fully operational by the third quarter of 2025.

“These tools are more than dashboards—they are enablers for state decision-making,” Mr. Abubakar stated. “With real-time insights, government agencies can act with speed and certainty.”

Present at the event were Dr. Benjamin Kweku Acolatse, Esq., Fmr. Dep. CEO (Finance and Administration), GNPC; Dr. Richard Boso, Research Faculty, KNUST. Mining Governance & Development Impact Specialist; Dr. Charles Gyamfi Ofori, Policy Lead, Climate Change & Energy Transition, ACEP and Dr. Priscilla Twumasi Baffuor, Senior Lecturer, Department of Economics, University of Ghana and Alhassan Yusif Trawule, Manager, Training and Development, ICAG. 

Others were Michael Boateng, Partner, Tax Services, KPMG; Abigail Maame Esi Mensah, Manager, Business Tax Advisory, Sub-service Line, Ernst & Young; Gilbert Addo , Senior Manager Tax, Deloitte & Touche; Prof. Isaac Boadi, Dean-Faculty of Accounting and Finance, UPSA; and Dr. Eric Boachie Yiadom, senior lecturer, UPSA. 

SML’s presentation reinforced its commitment to using innovation and automation to support Ghana’s broader fiscal governance agenda.