MTN Group and Telecel are set to bid for 5G licences in Ghana after the government terminated the exclusive rights held by Next Gen InfraCo (NGIC). The decision, confirmed by MTN Ghana CEO Stephen Blewett and Telecel Group CEO Moh Damush, opens the door for telcos including state-owned AT Ghana to deploy their own 5G networks. The auction is expected to begin within weeks. NGIC, launched in May 2024, was originally granted a ten-year licence to operate a shared wholesale 5G network in partnership with Mukesh Ambani-linked Reliance Industries' Radisys Corp. The company was tasked with rolling out 5G infrastructure across Ghana, but by mid-2025 had completed only 16 of 50 planned sites in Accra and Kumasi. This delay prompted the government to set a December 2025 deadline and threaten renegotiation of terms. The exclusivity deal has now been revoked eight years before its 2034 expiry. Ghana officially launched 5G services on March 3, 2026, under the initial model requiring operators to use NGIC's neutral network. With the shift, telcos can now own and operate independent 5G networks following licence approval. The government plans to auction spectrum in the 3.5 GHz and 26 GHz bands before the end of 2026. The goal is to expand high-speed internet access to over 41 million telecom subscribers in the country. Samuel Nartey George, Ghana's Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, stated during a May stakeholders' forum that spectrum allocation must prioritise credible deployment plans, especially for rural and underserved areas. He emphasized that the focus is not on the number of operators but on how many Ghanaians can access the network. The revised policy supports the national target of 70% 5G population coverage by 2027.
The government waited until NGIC missed key rollout targets before ending its exclusive hold on 5G infrastructure, despite clear delays over several months. Allowing MTN and Telecel to bid may accelerate network expansion, but it also undermines the original shared-network model meant to reduce duplication and costs. If the goal is wider access, splitting infrastructure ownership among competing telcos could slow rural deployment where returns are lower. The shift suggests policy instability, which may deter future investors relying on long-term concessions.
Editorial note: AI-assisted opinion, not established fact. Full disclaimer →
