Ghana has abruptly terminated its exclusive 5G infrastructure partnership with Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Next-Gen InfraCo (NGIC), with the switch to an open-market auction to roll out the network faster. The National Communications Authority (NCA) has ended NGIC’s monopoly and is opening up a US$230 million competitive bidding process for local mobile network operators. The move is a big blow to Ambani’s digital dreams on the continent.
The Ghanaian government had initially intended to give NGIC 10 years to build a common 5G network in the country using technology from Ambani’s Radisys Corp. However, the partnership did not reach the commercial market.
The decision to cancel the contract was made because of significant delays in deployment and opposition by the industry:
Missed Rollout Goals: Despite their promises of the rapid rollout of national infrastructure sharing, NGIC and Radisys were only able to deploy 49 operational 5G sites by March 2026.
The telecom providers’ boycott was another major setback as big carriers such as MTN Ghana and Telecel refused to lease wholesale capacity from the state-backed entity, effectively stopping the deployment of the ultra-fast broadband in Ghana.
The NCA is auctioning off 11 spectrum lots across three key frequency bands to attract quick private investment following the cancellation of the exclusive deal.
The 700 MHz Band begins at US$36 million per lot for coverage, and extends through US$140 million per lot.
- 3 GHz Band: US$24 million per lot for high capacity urban networks.
- 2.3 GHz Band (US$10 million per lot) to encourage smaller local providers.
MTN Ghana, the market-leading company, will be charged a 40% premium on premium bands, thanks to its Significant Market Power (SMP) position, to deter such monopolistic practices. Ghana has set the deadline for all applications for its auctions by 6th August 2026, with the goal of achieving 70% 5G population coverage by March 2027.
