MTN Group and Telecel Group are preparing to bid for 5G licences in Ghana after the government moved to end the exclusive rights previously granted to a state-backed wholesale network provider, opening the country’s next phase of 5G deployment to competition.
The development was first reported by Bloomberg, citing interviews with MTN Ghana Chief Executive Officer Stephen Blewett and Telecel Group Chief Executive Officer Moh Damush. According to the report, both companies confirmed plans to participate in a 5G licence auction expected to commence within weeks after Ghana revoked the exclusive concession previously awarded to Next Gen Infraco (NGIC).
MTN Group is Africa’s largest mobile network operator, providing voice, data, fintech, enterprise, wholesale and API services to about 312.7 million customers across 19 African markets. Beyond telecommunications, the company has increasingly expanded into financial technology services across the continent.
Telecel Group, founded in 1986 by Miko Rwayitare, operates in more than 27 countries with over 6 million subscribers. The international telecommunications company has focused on expanding digital infrastructure across Africa, with major assets including Telecel Ghana, formerly Vodafone Ghana, as well as operations in the Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Chad.
Why Ghana reopened its 5G licensing process
The upcoming auction follows the Ghanaian government’s decision to revoke the exclusive concession granted to Next Gen Infraco before its scheduled expiry in 2034.
NGIC had partnered with Radisys Corp., a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd. controlled by Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, to build the country’s wholesale 5G infrastructure.
However, Ghana’s Communications Minister, Sam George, who assumed office in 2025, said the government decided to open the licensing process to competition because of the slow rollout of 5G services.
In March, Ghana’s National Communications Authority announced plans to scrap NGIC’s licence after the rollout significantly lagged government expectations. As of March, only 49 operational 5G sites had been deployed, far below the government’s target of 1,200 sites by 2027.
The exclusive wholesale network model had been introduced under former Communications Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, who hoped NGIC would replicate the success of India’s Jio Platforms Ltd., whose affordable mobile data services transformed internet access across India.
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Africa’s 5G expansion gathers pace
Ghana’s renewed licensing process comes as Africa accelerates investments in next-generation mobile infrastructure, with 5G expected to play a central role in the continent’s digital economy.
According to industry estimates, mobile technologies and services generated $240 billion in economic value across Africa in 2025—equivalent to 7.8 percent of regional GDP—while supporting approximately 13 million jobs and contributing $45 billion in public revenues.
By 2030, that contribution is projected to increase to $290 billion, driven by continued expansion of 4G and 5G networks, deeper enterprise digitalisation and wider adoption of digital technologies across industries.
While Ghana is still at the early stages of deployment, industry projections show its national 5G coverage is expected to grow from 0 percent in the first quarter of 2026 to 3 percent in the second quarter and 5 percent by the third quarter.
That compares with projected third-quarter coverage of 65 percent in South Africa, 35 percent in Kenya and 20 percent in Nigeria, highlighting both Ghana’s late start and the opportunity for rapid expansion under a more competitive licensing regime.
The latest development also aligns with MTN Group’s broader strategy to modernise its network across Africa. On June 11, the company’s Chief Commercial Officer, Selorm Adadevoh, said the operator would soon begin phasing out its legacy 2G and 3G networks, as it shifts investment toward more advanced 4G and 5G technologies to meet growing demand for high-speed connectivity and digital services across the continent.
