Ghana’s National Communications Authority (NCA) awarded three spectrum lots in the 2.3 GHz band to Telecel Ghana to accelerate its 5G rollout and expand mobile broadband capacity.
The development, according to a Bloomberg report, follows the government’s decision to end the exclusive rights of a state-backed wholesale provider that partnered with Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Ltd.
The communications authority awarded three spectrum lots in the 2.3 GHz band to Telecel Ghana to accelerate its 5G rollout and broaden mobile broadband capacity. This means that the operator secured all three lots it applied for in the band.
In response, Telecel external affairs director Komla Buami said the additional spectrum marks a significant step toward commercial 5G deployment. He described it as a move that strengthens network capacity, improves service quality, and drives growth across Ghana’s digital economy.
In addition, Buami mentioned that the spectrum award aligns with the communications authority’s ambition to accelerate 5G deployment in the country and foster efficient industry-wide usage.
Also read: The 3% data guzzlers: How a tiny 5G user base is dominating Kenya’s internet usage.
The final price Telecel paid for the new licences was not made public. However, the NCA previously set a minimum price of $10 million for each of the five licences offered in the 2.3 GHz band. The bids were received for only four lots, where Goal Telecom also applied for one block.
Following the development, Telecel plans to roll out the 5G service on its own network by December.
Telecel Ghana is jointly owned by the Telecel Group, which holds a 70% majority stake, and the Government of Ghana, which retains a 30% minority shareholding.
5G in Ghana
The acceleration of 5G spectrum awards comes amid the country’s goal of achieving 70% 5G population coverage by 2027, the year the West African country clocks 70.
Previously, Next Gen InfraCo (NGIC) held exclusive rights to build and deploy a 5G network in the country. The licence was revoked after NGIC fell short of its deployment requirements, completing 16 of the 50 sites required in Accra and Kumasi.
As 5G services in Ghana are conditioned to be offered through a wholesale, neutral network intended for multiple providers, NGIC’s 4G/5G infrastructure was meant to be an open door for several telcos in Ghana.
While MTN Group and Telecel bid for the 5G licences, it’s yet to be determined whether MTN has been granted a licence. The latter acquisition of the spectrum has now cemented the presence of independent 5G ownership for the first time in Ghana.
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