At the inception of GNPC in 1985, technical assistance was sought from Braspetro, the international subsidiary of the Brazilian National Petroleum Corporation (Petrobras) under UNDP sponsorship for the preparation of a strategic organizational plan and recommendations for institutional capacity building. The organizational plan approved by the Board of Directors involved five main functional divisions and four staff departments.

The years 2001 and 2002 were focused on conducting a comprehensive restructuring of the Corporation to focus on its core business.  As a result, by the end of 2002, GNPC had divested its interests in most non-petroleum activities including crude oil procurement and marketing, salt production and marketing, telecommunications, tourism, farming and downstream petroleum marketing.

A much leaner and flatter organisational structure is now being deployed. It is driven largely by the new strategic focus of the Corporation on exploration promotion operations. Current staff strength is 142.   The organisational structure continues to evolve to incorporate more activities that the Corporation will be undertaking as a result of the significant discoveries that have been made and are anticipated.

GNPC has a seven-member Board of Directors appointed by the Ghana Government which exercises supervisory responsibility over the Corporation’s operations.