No more delays: Minister sets deadline for Ghana’s 5G rollout
No more delays. That was the firm message from Ghana’s Minister for Communications, Samuel Nartey George. During a government press briefing on August 1, 2025, he set a December deadline for Next-Gen InfraCo (NGIC) to launch the country’s long-awaited 5G service.
Three years have passed since NGIC received the licence. Still, Ghana has no operational 5G network. While the government approved all necessary regulations and even cleared NGIC to connect with mobile network operators (MNOs), progress has remained disappointingly slow.
Now, the minister has drawn a clear line.
“If we don’t see full commercial rollout by Q4,” Mr. George warned, “we’ll revoke the exclusivity clause and review the entire licence.”
In other words, time is running out.
NGIC recently requested permission to extend its reach to internet service providers (ISPs). Yet, the ministry flatly rejected the proposal. Instead, Mr. George urged the company to deliver on its primary task—deploying 5G through MNOs already approved to operate.
“You’ve had the licence for nearly three years,” he said. “You’ve got the approvals. Connect and roll out.”
He didn’t stop there. Addressing widespread rumors, the minister also dismissed claims that the previous administration had already launched 5G services. He clarified: “There was no 5G at that so-called launch. There’s no 5G in Ghana yet.”
NGIC was formed as a shared infrastructure provider to ensure fast, affordable, and widespread 5G coverage. Its role involves collaborating with all major operators—not delaying or shifting focus.
Yet, without visible delivery, the government won’t sit idle. Samuel George made that unmistakably clear.
The stakes now couldn’t be higher. As the clock ticks toward December, Ghanaians expect more than promises. They want performance. They want infrastructure that works. And they deserve it.
No more delays—only results will matter now.
