MTN Group and Telecel are preparing to bid for 5G licences in Ghana after the government ended the exclusive rights previously granted to Next-Gen InfraCo (NGIC) to build and operate the country's wholesale 5G network, opening the market to wider competition.
According to Bloomberg, citing Stephen Blewett, CEO of MTN Ghana, and Moh Damush, Group CEO of Telecel Group, the auction process is expected to begin within weeks.
The move will allow MTN, Telecel, state-owned AT Ghana and other qualified operators to acquire licences and deploy their own 5G infrastructure, marking a significant shift in Ghana's telecommunications policy.
Ghana adopted the wholesale 5G model to accelerate network rollout, reduce infrastructure duplication and lower the cost of deployment by allowing multiple service providers to use a single shared network.
The country launched its first 5G network in March 2026 under the model, with NGIC leading deployment and Reliance Industries subsidiary Radisys providing the infrastructure.
NGIC was granted a 10-year licence in May 2024, but its exclusive concession has now been terminated eight years before its scheduled expiry in 2034. The decision follows repeated rollout delays that slowed the country's 5G ambitions.
Although commercial deployment was initially expected in June 2025, NGIC had completed only 16 of the required 50 sites across Accra and Kumasi.
The government subsequently set a December 2025 deadline and warned that the agreement could be renegotiated if deployment targets were not met.
The policy shift aligns with Ghana's objective of accelerating nationwide 5G adoption and achieving 70 per cent population coverage by 2027.
Authorities also plan to auction spectrum in the 3.5GHz and 26GHz bands before the end of 2026 to encourage greater competition and investment.
Speaking at a stakeholder consultation earlier this year, Samuel Nartey George, Ghana's minister for communication, digital technology and innovations, said spectrum allocation would prioritise operators with credible deployment plans, particularly those capable of expanding connectivity to underserved and rural communities.
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