The National Communications Authority (NCA) has removed the exclusive rights granted to Next Gen Infraco Ltd (NGIC) to operate Ghana’s wholesale 5G infrastructure, opening the market to competition in a move aimed at boosting investment, innovation and network quality.
The amendment removes a licence condition that made NGIC the sole provider of wholesale 5G infrastructure in Ghana. The regulator said the rest of the company’s Wholesale Electronic Communications Infrastructure (Telecommunications) Licence, including its spectrum assignment, remains unchanged.
The decision marks a significant shift in Ghana’s 5G rollout strategy. NGIC was established to deploy a shared wholesale 5G network that mobile operators would use to provide retail services, rather than allowing each operator to build its own standalone 5G infrastructure.
The NCA said that while the exclusivity arrangement was initially introduced to support the development of a national wholesale 5G network, changing market conditions now favor a more competitive model.
“As the telecommunications market has evolved, however, the Authority has concluded that the public interest is better served by a competitive wholesale 5G market that promotes investment, innovation, network resilience, service quality and wider access to advanced communications services,” the regulator said in a statement on Wednesday.
The authority said it acted under powers granted by Section 14 of the Electronic Communications Act, 2008 (Act 775), and Article 6.1.2 of NGIC’s licence, which allow licence conditions to be amended in the public interest.
The regulator said it followed the statutory consultation process before making the change. It issued a notice of the proposed amendment to NGIC on March 2, held discussions with the company on March 18, received its formal objections on April 1, and heard oral representations before the NCA Governing Board on May 28.
After considering NGIC’s written and oral submissions, the Board concluded that removing the exclusivity provision was in the public interest.
The amendment affects only NGIC’s exclusive wholesale rights and does not alter the company’s remaining licence conditions or obligations.
The NCA notes that it expects the move to encourage greater competition in Ghana’s wholesale 5G market, attract additional investment, spur innovation and accelerate the country’s broader digital transformation agenda.
