Accra, Feb. 25, 2026 — The Government has announced plans to auction 5G spectrum in the coming weeks as part of sweeping reforms to modernise Ghana’s digital ecosystem, as the National Communications Authority (NCA) launched its 30th anniversary celebrations in Accra.
Delivering the keynote address at NCA Towers on Tuesday, Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Hon. Samuel Nartey George (MP), said Cabinet had approved a policy decision to remove the existing exclusivity arrangement for 5G deployment and open spectrum allocation to a competitive national bidding process.
The move, he said, would democratise access to 5G technology while retaining the wholesale framework, giving market players multiple pathways to roll out next-generation services.
“The vision is to achieve 70 per cent population density coverage of 5G by the 70th Independence celebration of our beloved nation next year,” the Minister stated, describing the target as ambitious but achievable.
The anniversary event, held under the theme “30 Years of Communications Regulation – Celebrating Impact, Advancing a More Inclusive Digital Future,” brought together industry stakeholders, former officials and regulators.
The Minister noted that the passage of the NCA Act under former President Jerry John Rawlings marked Ghana’s decisive shift from monopoly control to competitive, rules-based communications governance.
He also acknowledged the role of former President John Dramani Mahama, who served as the Authority’s first Board Chairman during his tenure as Communications Minister between 1998 and 2001, guiding the regulator through its formative years.
Successive Ministers, he said, contributed to sector expansion and policy consolidation, supported by key frameworks including the ICT for Accelerated Development Policy (2003), the National Telecommunications Policy (2005), the Digital Terrestrial Television Transition Policy (2010), and the Digital Economy Policy (2024).
On regulatory evolution and institutional growth for
the past three decades, the NCA, he said has overseen licensing, spectrum management, compliance monitoring and market oversight, translating policy into sector growth.
The Minister highlighted the creation of complementary institutions such as the National Information Technology Agency, the Data Protection Commission and the Cyber Security Authority, which together form Ghana’s digital governance architecture.
Beyond regulation, he added that, the NCA has supported national digital capacity-building initiatives, including contributions to the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT and infrastructure for Ghana’s digital broadcasting migration.
Hon. Nartey George noted that consumer protection remains central to regulation, citing initiatives such as SIM registration, mobile number portability and strengthened complaints resolution systems.
He referenced recent revisions to Quality of Service benchmarks, introducing stricter performance indicators for voice reliability, data performance and SMS delivery.
“Connectivity must not only exist — it must deliver value,” he said, noting, that the Ministry worked with operators in 2025 to address concerns around data pricing and pay-TV subscription costs.
The Minister disclosed that the Government was also preparing approximately 15 new or revised bills to update communications regulation, data governance, digital services and oversight of emerging technologies.
He said the reforms aim to ensure Ghana remains competitive, secure and innovation-friendly amid rapid global advances in 5G, artificial intelligence, satellite broadband and Internet of Things technologies.
The Hon. Minister highlighted the Government’s One Million Coders Programme, designed to equip young people with digital skills, with quotas for women and persons with disabilities.
He stressed that while the first 30 years of reform focused on expanding access, the next phase must prioritise digital capability and innovation.
“If the past thirty years were about building access, the next thirty must be about building digital power — the power to innovate, compete globally and shape our own technological destiny,” he said.
He reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to inclusive digital development under President Mahama, including the appointment of women to chair key ICT sector boards.
The Minister said the milestone should symbolise renewed commitment to citizen-focused regulation, competitive markets, nationwide infrastructure expansion and a secure, inclusive digital future for all Ghanaians.
