Communications Minister Describes NGIC’s 5G Rollout Claim as Misleading, Cites Licence Default
Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has characterised as “regrettable” and “misleading” the March 3, 2026 claim by NextGen Infraco (NGIC) that it had deployed 50 4G/5G cell sites ready for commercial service.
NGIC had announced that it had obtained authorisation from the National Communications Authority (NCA) to begin commercial 5G operations based on the sites it had prepared in selected parts of the country.
But in an interview with Techfocus24 on the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, the Minister explained that although the NCA confirmed 49 sites were technically ready, that number does not amount to a nationwide 5G network launch.
He detailed that 43 of the 49 sites are situated in the Greater Accra Region, two in the Ashanti Region, and one each in the Bono Region, Northern Region, Western Region and Central Region.
“That does not qualify as a rollout,” he stated, arguing that anyone conversant with telecom network deployment would appreciate that 49 sites represent only limited district-level coverage.
By comparison, he noted that Greater Accra alone has over 1,600 cell sites operated collectively by all mobile network operators, underscoring that 49 sites cannot adequately cover even the capital, much less the entire country.
He added that the regulator would soon issue an official statement to clarify government’s stance on NGIC’s announcement.
Breach of licence conditions
Mr George further disclosed that the NCA has formally notified NGIC of its failure to meet licence fee obligations, following non-payment of instalments since September last year. He warned that continued default could result in the revocation of the company’s licence.
According to him, NGIC has so far remitted US$6 million and has undertaken to pay an additional US$6 million, for which it has requested revised payment terms.
He criticised the timing of the company’s announcement, noting that government has already declared plans to auction additional 5G spectrum. Making such claims while in breach of licence conditions, he suggested, was not an appropriate way to engage the regulator.
The Minister stressed that NGIC is required to deploy at least 350 sites by the third anniversary of its licence, a target he said would demand investment well beyond the unpaid US$6 million.
He explained that the decision to auction fresh 5G spectrum is rooted in public interest considerations, with the objective of achieving broader national coverage within a shorter period. Government is aiming for 70 per cent 5G coverage by March 2027, when Ghana marks its 70th anniversary.
Coordinated rollout strategy
Mr George said current policy direction favours a synchronised 5G rollout, with all operators expected to go live simultaneously. This approach, he explained, is intended to avoid market imbalances similar to those that followed the 4G rollout in 2015, when an early entrant gained significant market dominance.
He indicated that a nationwide launch event would be organised to formally announce the simultaneous activation of 5G services.
National roaming and uniform pricing
Ahead of the spectrum auction, the Minister revealed that government has instructed the NCA to intensify efforts toward implementing a comprehensive national roaming framework. The goal is to ensure operators can leverage each other’s infrastructure to deliver seamless connectivity across the country once 5G services are launched.
Under the proposed licensing framework, each operator will be required to subscribe to the national roaming policy and observe a minimum six-month coordination window to enable joint readiness for rollout.
He further explained that operators who activate their 5G networks will be mandated to grant access to other networks under the roaming arrangement, promoting shared infrastructure use.
In addition, he stated that operators will not be permitted to introduce pricing differentials between on-net and off-net services, emphasising that tariffs must remain uniform regardless of the network of the end user.
Spectrum pricing approach
On the issue of spectrum pricing, Mr George said the auction structure would be flexible, taking into account the presence of a Significant Market Power (SMP) operator in the market.
He indicated that the spectrum fees payable by the SMP would differ from those applicable to smaller operators, as part of efforts to create a more balanced and competitive environment.
Policy-led investment drive
Citing recent regulatory reforms, the Minister pointed to the granting of technology neutrality and the tightening of quality-of-service key performance indicators (KPIs) — reducing the allowable default threshold from 3 per cent to 1 per cent — as measures that have already stimulated substantial investment by telecom operators.
He noted that Telecel is investing in approximately 350 additional cell sites to comply with the revised KPIs, while MTN has committed more than US$350 million toward the deployment of up to 800 new sites.
According to him, these developments demonstrate how targeted policy interventions can catalyse investment. He expressed confidence that the current regulatory direction will position the communications sector to deliver tangible economic gains, while urging industry players to align with the new policy framework.
