Ghana awards 5G licenses to MTN and Telecel to accelerate mobile network

The government of Ghana has chosen to modify its national 5G strategy. According to reports by TechCabal, authorities awarded 5G licenses and frequencies to MTN Ghana and Telecel Ghana on October 2, 2026. This decision now allows the country's two main private telecommunications operators to build and manage their own network infrastructure.

Initially, the Ghanaian state had bet on a single shared infrastructure model in 2024. A state-owned company, Next-Gen InfraCo (NGIC), was supposed to deploy the network and then lease it to private operators. The goal was to cover 37 million users with 4,400 sites by 2028. However, by March 2026, only 49 sites were operational, mainly in the Greater Accra region.

To break the deadlock, the state ended NGIC's exclusivity. MTN Ghana acquired frequencies for approximately $100 million over a 15-year period, while Telecel plans to launch its services as early as December 2026 on its own facilities. NGIC nevertheless retains its license and frequency rights, but is no longer the sole wholesaler in the market.

Our perspective

This reorientation highlights the need for African states to reconcile digital sovereignty with operational efficiency. While the single public network model aimed to protect national infrastructure, the slowness of its deployment penalized the digital economy. Opening up to private investment must be accompanied by strong regulation to ensure equitable and affordable access to technology for all populations.