The Next-Gen Infrastructure Company (NGIC) risks losing its exclusivity clause in its contract over delays in rolling out 5G services.
This was announced by the Minister for Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, who cautioned that the government will revoke the exclusivity clause in its contract if the NGIC fails to meet key deadlines for the rollout of 5G services in Ghana.
It is recalled that, on November 1, 2024, the Government of Ghana, through the then Ministry of Communication, launched the 5G mobile broadband with a formal ceremony at the Palms Convention Centre at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra.
As part of the contract, NGIC holds the exclusive 10-year license to build 4G and 5G networks through a consortium involving the government, Ascend Digital, K-Net, Nokia Radisys, Tech Mahindra, AT Ghana, and Telecel Ghana.
However, speaking during the Government Accountability Series on Friday, August 1, the minister acknowledged that while some progress has been made, NGIC must fulfill its obligation to launch full commercial 5G operations by the end of the fourth quarter of 2025.
“I stated in my last briefing that failure by NGIC to roll out full commercial activity by the end of quarter four this year will lead to me terminating the terms of that contract, taking away the exclusivity clause, and opening up for fresh negotiations,” he warned.
NGIC currently holds the exclusive rights to operate as Ghana’s shared neutral infrastructure provider for 4G and 5G networks.
Mr. George revealed that the company has so far deployed 16 5G-ready sites and has secured full approval from the National Communications Authority (NCA) for its core network infrastructure.
He added that NGIC is expected to activate a total of 355 5G-ready cell sites by the end of 2025, with at least 50 of those sites set to go live in Accra and Kumasi.
The minister’s remarks signal heightened government scrutiny of NGIC’s performance amid growing expectations for faster and more reliable digital connectivity across the country.
