Ghana Opens 5G Market to Competition After Shared Network Model Falls Short
July 22nd 2026
- Ghana has ended its exclusive wholesale 5G model and opened spectrum to competition.
- The shift follows repeated delays under the NGIC-led rollout strategy.
- New license holders will face strict nationwide coverage and performance targets.
After repeated delays, Ghana has dropped its shared wholesale approach to 5G and is opening the market to operators that want to build and run their own networks. The policy shift reflects the government’s effort to speed up deployment after repeated delays under the previous approach while preserving its goal of broad nationwide coverage.
The country’s telecom regulator, the National Communications Authority (NCA), last week launched a call for applications for 5G spectrum licenses, officially marking the end of the exclusive wholesale model assigned to Next Gen Infraco Limited (NGIC).
Published on July 16, the application process will remain open until August 6, 2026. It is open to mobile network operators (MNOs), mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), wireless access providers, internet service providers (ISPs), and new entrants that are 100% Ghanaian-owned. The licenses will be valid for 15 years.
Ghana Ends NGIC’s Exclusive Role
The licensing process began just hours after the NCA announced it was ending NGIC’s exclusive right to operate the country’s wholesale 5G network, which had been created to provide network capacity to other telecom operators.
The regulator said it concluded that “the public interest would be better served by a competitive wholesale 5G market that promotes investment, innovation, network resilience, service quality and broader access to advanced communications services.”
The decision also confirms the end of NGIC’s exclusive role in deploying 5G infrastructure. In February 2026, Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation Minister Sam Nartey George said the government had decided to withdraw the exclusive mandate granted to the single license holder and make spectrum available through a national competitive licensing process, allowing mobile operators to deploy their own 5G networks.
Why the Original Model Failed
When NGIC was launched in May 2024 through a public-private partnership, Ghana presented the shared neutral-host network as an innovative alternative to the traditional approach of assigning spectrum directly to telecom operators.
The government argued that the model would accelerate nationwide 5G coverage, including in rural areas. Under a conventional spectrum auction, authorities feared operators would concentrate investment in Accra and a handful of major cities while leaving less profitable regions behind.
Instead, commercial 5G service faced a series of delays.
The launch was first scheduled for September 2024, then postponed to December, followed by January, May and June 2025. Although the network was officially inaugurated in November 2024, commercial service never became immediately available to subscribers.
As delays mounted, the government gave NGIC until the end of 2025 to meet specific rollout targets. The company was required to deploy at least 50 5G sites in Accra and Kumasi after reaching only 16 sites by July, according to government figures. Sam George warned at the time that failure to meet the target could trigger a review of the license terms.
That target was ultimately missed.
NGIC announced the commercial launch of its infrastructure in March 2026, but no telecom operator has publicly confirmed connecting to the network to offer 5G services. According to local media, both MTN Ghana and Telecel Ghana said they were waiting for spectrum licenses before deploying their own networks.
Operators Face Strict Rollout Requirements
Companies that secure 5G spectrum will have to meet detailed rollout and coverage obligations set by the NCA. Those commitments will become part of their licenses, and failure to comply could result in financial penalties, license suspension, or even revocation.
By March 6, 2027, every license holder must provide outdoor mobile broadband coverage to at least 70% of Ghana’s population, based on the 2021 national census. Coverage must include the Greater Accra Region, Greater Kumasi, all 16 regional capitals, and every district capital.
The rollout must then expand in stages. Within three years, operators must cover all district capitals. Within five years, they must extend coverage to all towns in metropolitan areas. Municipal towns must be covered within 10 years, and all district towns by the end of the 15-year license period.
The regulator has also imposed minimum service quality standards. Networks must deliver download speeds of at least 7 Mbps during the first three years of operation, 25 Mbps between years three and seven, and 50 Mbps from the seventh year until the licenses expire. The NCA also encourages operators to target speeds of 100 Mbps.
While Ghana has not announced when consumers will finally gain access to commercial 5G services, the spectrum auction is expected to be completed by September 28, 2026. Operators will then be free to begin deploying their own networks based on their business strategies, financial resources, and the rollout obligations attached to their licenses.
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