Ghana’s 5G landscape could soon open up to full competition after the National Communications Authority (NCA) issued a Notice of Proposed Licence Amendment to Next-Gen Infraco (NGIC), seeking to remove the 5G exclusivity clause in the company’s licence.
In a press release dated March 4, 2026, the regulator said the action was being taken pursuant to Section 14 of the Electronic Communications Act, 2008 (Act 775).
If confirmed, the amendment would end NGIC’s exclusive rights in the 5G space and potentially allow other operators to deploy the technology independently.
The NCA stated that the proposed amendment was in the public interest and aimed at “Promoting competition and innovation in the provision of 5G services; Enhancing consumer choice and service quality; Accelerating nationwide digital transformation; and Ensuring optimal and efficient use of spectrum as a national resource”.
Under the law, the amendment will take effect 90 days from the date of the notice unless, after considering representations from the licensee within the statutory notice period, the Authority determines otherwise.
The NCA stressed that the process followed due procedure and was consistent with its mandate to regulate communications services in the national interest.
The proposed change comes at a pivotal moment for NGIC, which in a recent statement said it had received clearance from the regulator to commence full commercial operations as Ghana’s wholesale 4G and 5G infrastructure provider. It said the approval followed technical inspections confirming compliance with its Wholesale Electronic Communications Infrastructure Licence.
NGIC has so far deployed 49 operational 5G sites nationwide, with 43 located in Greater Accra and the remainder distributed across the Ashanti, Western, Northern, Bono and Central regions. The network is already live in selected parts of Accra, Kumasi and Tamale under what has been described as Ghana’s wholesale-first model, in which NGIC builds and operates the shared radio and core infrastructure while mobile network operators provide retail services.
