NCA moves to end NGIC’s 5G exclusivity, opening door to full market competition
Ghana’s 5G sector may soon become fully competitive after the National Communications Authority (NCA) issued a Notice of Proposed Licence Amendment to Next-Gen Infraco (NGIC), seeking to scrap the exclusivity clause that grants the company sole rights to provide 5G services.
In a statement dated March 4, 2026, the regulator said the move was being undertaken in line with Section 14 of the Electronic Communications Act, 2008 (Act 775).
After receiving approval, the amendment would terminate NGIC’s exclusive position in the 5G market, paving the way for other telecom operators to independently roll out 5G services.
According to the NCA, the proposed change is intended to serve the public interest by fostering competition and innovation in 5G service delivery, broadening consumer options and improving service quality, speeding up nationwide digital transformation, and ensuring the efficient use of spectrum as a national asset.
By law, the amendment will automatically take effect 90 days after the notice is issued unless the Authority, having reviewed any representations submitted by NGIC within the statutory period, decides otherwise.
The NCA emphasised that it had followed due process and that the action aligns with its mandate to regulate the communications sector in the national interest.
The proposed revision comes at a crucial time for NGIC, which recently announced that it had secured regulatory clearance to begin full commercial operations as Ghana’s wholesale 4G and 5G infrastructure provider. The company said the approval followed technical assessments confirming compliance with the terms of its Wholesale Electronic Communications Infrastructure Licence.
NGIC has deployed 49 operational 5G sites across the country — 43 in Greater Accra, with the remainder in the Ashanti, Western, Northern, Bono and Central regions.
The network is already active in selected parts of Accra, Kumasi and Tamale under Ghana’s wholesale-first model, where NGIC builds and manages shared radio and core infrastructure while mobile network operators handle retail services.
NGIC Chief Executive Officer, Tenu Awoonor, described the rollout as a shift from planning to execution, noting that the shared backbone is now commercially operational and ready for expansion. He added that meeting the government’s target of 70 per cent 5G population coverage by Ghana’s 70th Independence Anniversary would require sustained coordination and disciplined investment, with the shared model helping to direct resources toward expanding coverage rather than duplicating infrastructure.
However, the regulatory notice also revealed that NGIC has defaulted on an instalment payment of its licence fees under the agreed schedule. The NCA said the matter is being handled in accordance with the relevant legal provisions.
Together, the potential removal of NGIC’s 5G exclusivity and concerns over its licence fee compliance mark a defining moment for Ghana’s telecom industry. While the wholesale model remains key to the country’s broadband strategy, the proposed amendment indicates a regulatory shift aimed at deepening competition and optimising spectrum use as a strategic national resource
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