Global Perspective: Major Shift in Ghana's 5G Network Policy as Government Abandons Infrastructure Sharing Model

C114 News, August 14 – A latest report from market research firm Omdia states that the Ghanaian government has decided to revoke Next Gen Infraco Limited’s (NGIC) exclusive rights to deploy the 5G network, turning instead to issue independent licenses to other operators. This marks a fundamental shift in policy—initially, Ghanaian regulators planned to adopt a wholesale infrastructure sharing model, viewing it as the most cost-effective and efficient strategy for expanding the country’s 4G and 5G networks.

Significance of the Policy Framework Shift

On July 15, 2026, the National Communications Authority of Ghana revoked NGIC's exclusive right to deploy wholesale 5G infrastructure in the country, adopting a competitive licensing approach instead. NGIC is a joint venture Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) operator that received its license in 2024. Before losing its exclusive deployment rights, NGIC launched Ghana's first shared 5G network in March 2026 after multiple delays.

Previously, NGIC held exclusive spectrum usage rights to deploy 5G services in the 700MHz, 2600MHz, and 3500MHz bands. Following the revocation of these rights, operators such as MTN Ghana, Telecel Ghana, and AT Ghana will be eligible to bid for the 700MHz and 3500MHz bands to support 4G network expansion and 5G deployment. Ghana initially hoped to avoid duplicate infrastructure construction costs and create a level playing field through a shared 5G network, thereby accelerating 5G deployment. However, persistent delays by NGIC left Ghana lagging in 5G development, making it one of the few major Sub-Saharan African countries still without commercial 5G services by the end of 2025.

Nevertheless, Ghana is not the only African country to have adopted a shared network model. In June 2013, Rwanda pioneered an LTE open-access model through a government-backed joint venture with Korea Telecom. Although Rwanda achieved over 95% 4G population coverage by 2019, its 4G service penetration remained below 2% due to high service prices resulting from a monopoly model that hindered other licensed operators from deploying their own networks. In October 2022, Rwanda's "National Broadband Policy" reversed the wholesale model and introduced technology-neutral principles. In early 2023, the government revoked Korea Telecom Rwanda Network's exclusive rights to operate the 4G network and issued separate licenses to MTN and Airtel Rwanda.

The Omdia report notes that while wholesale network models can accelerate deployment and coverage, they may suppress the competition and innovation that drive service adoption. Both Rwanda and Ghana have mature telecommunications markets and robust regulatory frameworks, making their abandonment of infrastructure sharing particularly significant. These failures could severely undermine investor confidence in the wholesale model across Africa.

Key Takeaways for Policymakers

Danson Njue, Senior Research Analyst at Omdia, pointed out that African governments need to recognize that shared network models require more than just the political will to promote innovation and growth in the telecommunications sector. While the wholesale network model may work under special circumstances such as strong government execution capabilities and sufficient capital investment, it is not a panacea for addressing market coverage challenges. Success stories in the African telecommunications industry typically emerge from competitive markets where multiple operators invest in building their own infrastructure, thereby expanding coverage while driving price competition. Rather than promoting a single wholesale network, regulators should focus on facilitating infrastructure sharing agreements, simplifying network deployment processes, and ensuring efficient and transparent spectrum allocation.

Furthermore, the regulatory framework must balance the demand for infrastructure development with the market vitality brought by competition. This means allowing voluntary sharing agreements while retaining multiple network operators, setting clear network deployment obligations linked to spectrum licenses, and ensuring that wholesale access pricing is determined through commercial negotiations rather than imposed by a monopoly. Regulators must select wholesalers with the financial strength to invest in both infrastructure deployment and customer acquisition initiatives. The cases of Ghana and Rwanda clearly demonstrate that competition, rather than monopoly, is the effective strategy for achieving reasonably priced and widely accessible network connectivity.