MTN Group and Telecel Group are preparing to bid for Ghana's 5G licenses after the government decided to strip exclusive rights from a state-backed wholesale operator that worked with Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani's company. The two African carriers plan to submit bids in an auction expected to launch within weeks, MTN Ghana Chief Executive Officer Stephen Blewett and Telecel Group CEO Moh Damush told Bloomberg.
Ghana's government revoked the exclusive concession granted to Next Gen Infraco before its originally scheduled 2034 expiry date. Radisys Corp., a subsidiary of Ambani-controlled Reliance Industries Ltd., had been tapped to build out the network infrastructure for the state-backed provider.
Communications Minister Sam George, who assumed office in 2025, had previously indicated the government would open the licensing process to other operators because of delays in 5G deployment. He declined to elaborate when Bloomberg reached out to him.
The National Communications Authority signalled in March that it planned to cancel the license. Its Director-General Edmund Fianko offered no additional comment when contacted by the news agency.
The former communications minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, had believed that by partnering with Radisys, NGIC could replicate the achievements of the firm's sister company, Jio Platforms Ltd. The Indian telecom operator, which is gearing up for an initial public offering potentially worth as much as $4 billion according to sources with knowledge of the matter, is credited with making mobile data cheap across the world's most populous nation.
In Ghana, the underfunded NGIC has faltered in rolling out 5G infrastructure, with only 49 sites live as of March, falling far short of the government's 1,200-site goal by 2027. Radisys Corp. didn't respond to Bloomberg's emailed inquiries, while a Reliance Industries spokesperson declined to comment.
Ghana's objective is now to expand 5G access to 70% of the population by March 2027 through a combination of wholesale and operator-led networks. GSMA Intelligence has called this target "ambitious" in a forthcoming analysis, noting that if commercial 5G launches soon, coverage could reach 7% of the population by year-end, compared with 22% in Nigeria, 38% in Kenya and over 60% in South Africa.
For smaller operators like Telecel, access to 5G is essential to compete in a market where MTN dominates heavily. The two main carriers serve Ghana's 35 million people, with MTN capturing 80% of data subscribers and Telecel operating the former Vodafone unit while providing roaming services to subscribers at a struggling rival.
"It's critical for the government to ensure that the auction is not conducted on the basis of the highest bidder," Damush said. "That will exacerbate the advantages of significant market power and will not foster a proper competitive environment."
