Ghana’s 5G deal a ploy by government to break MTN’s monopoly

Member of Parliament (MP) for South Dayi Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor has slammed government over the launched of a 5G shared network deal.

The lawmaker believes the deal is an attempt by the government to break the monopoly of Ghana’s largest network operator, MTN Ghana.

Speaking on Accra-based TV3’s Key Points on Saturday, June 1, Dafeamekpor announced his intention to challenge the validity of the contract to Next-Gen Infraco—a company registered less than a week prior to the deal’s approval.

“It is a deliberate creation to break MTN monopoly, the government cannot do this, let the private entities compete among themselves.

“I am going to challenge the validity of the deal at the Supreme Court. You can’t break a monopoly by creating a monopoly, you are depriving other companies from participating in the economic environment.

“This is a company that is merely on paper, this is an empty company, it is incapable of delivering on this mandate. It must be subjected to our procurement laws,” he said.

Background of the 5G shared network deal:
NGIC is a new shared infrastructure company co-promoted by the Government of Ghana, Ascend Digital, and K-NET with support from leading technology providers including Nokia, Radisys and Tech Mahindra.

The deal establishes NGIC as the sole wholesale 5G licensee in Ghana tasked with delivering affordable high-speed 5G and 4G mobile broadband services across the country.

It aims to provide a neutral hosting platform for all mobile network operators in Ghana.

NGIC plans to deploy over 4,400 sites within the next four years with the goal of reaching many customers and ensuring universal access to broadband connectivity by 2030.

The increased rollout of 4G and 5G sites by NGIC is expected to significantly boost internet and mobile data usage in Ghana.

It will reduce costs for telecom companies and make connectivity more affordable and accessible for consumers.