MTN Ghana and Telecel Prepare to Bid for 5G Licences as Ghana Opens Market
Ghana’s two major telecommunications operators, MTN Ghana and Telecel Ghana, are preparing to participate in a planned auction for 5G licences after the government ended the exclusive rights previously granted to wholesale infrastructure provider Next Gen Infraco (NGIC).
The two companies have confirmed their intention to bid in the upcoming 5G licence auction, which is expected to begin within weeks.
The auction follows the government’s decision to revoke NGIC’s exclusive concession, which was originally expected to remain in place until 2034.
NGIC was established as a wholesale 5G infrastructure provider responsible for building and operating a nationwide network that would allow telecom operators to offer high-speed internet services. However, the company struggled to meet its deployment targets.
As of March 2026, NGIC had only established 49 operational sites, far below the government’s target of 1,200 sites by 2027.
The government has now moved towards a more competitive model, allowing individual mobile network operators to directly participate in 5G deployment.
Communications Minister Sam George had earlier indicated that the government wanted to create a more open and competitive telecommunications market to accelerate digital transformation.
Ghana is targeting 70% 5G population coverage by March 2027, using a combination of wholesale infrastructure and operator-led networks.
MTN and Telecel eye expansion
MTN Ghana, the country’s largest telecom operator, and Telecel Ghana, which acquired Vodafone Ghana’s operations, are expected to be key participants in the auction.
MTN currently dominates Ghana’s mobile market, accounting for about 80% of data subscribers, while Telecel remains the second-largest operator.
Industry analysts say increased competition in the 5G space could accelerate network expansion, improve service quality and potentially reduce costs for consumers.
However, Telecel Group Chief Executive Officer Moh Damush urged regulators to ensure the auction process promotes fair competition rather than simply rewarding the highest bidder.
“It’s critical for the government to ensure that the auction is not conducted on the basis of the highest bidder. That will exacerbate the advantages of significant market power and will not foster a proper competitive environment,” he said.
Push for faster digital growth
The introduction of more 5G operators is expected to support Ghana’s ambitions in areas such as digital services, artificial intelligence, smart infrastructure, financial technology and industrial innovation.
Fifth-generation mobile technology offers significantly faster internet speeds, lower delays and the ability to connect more devices compared with existing 4G networks.
