Ghana’s wholesale telecommunications infrastructure provider, Next Gen InfraCo (NGIC) Limited (NGIC), has received formal clearance from the National Communications Authority (NCA) to begin full commercial operations, marking the operational launch of the country’s shared 4G and 5G network platform.
The approval follows inspections and technical validations by the regulator, which confirmed that NGIC had satisfied all requirements under its Wholesale Electronic Communications Infrastructure Licence.
With the clearance secured, the network is already live in parts of Accra, Kumasi, Tamale, and other key areas, with a phased nationwide rollout underway.
Under Ghana’s wholesale-first model, NGIC builds and operates the shared radio and core infrastructure, while licensed mobile network operators connect to the backbone to deliver retail services to consumers — a structure aimed at reducing duplication of investment and accelerating coverage.
Chief Executive Officer Tenu Awoonor described the launch as a shift from planning to execution.
“Today, Ghana moves from 5G ambition to 5G execution. The shared backbone is commercially active and positioned to scale,” he said, adding that the model coordinates national infrastructure investment while preserving competition at the retail level.
The commercial start aligns with the government’s target of achieving 70 percent 5G population coverage by Ghana’s 70th Independence Anniversary. Awoonor noted that reaching the target would require sustained collaboration across the telecom ecosystem to ensure investment focuses on expanding reach rather than duplicating infrastructure.
Chief Operating Officer Nenyi George Andah said the company’s priority has now shifted firmly to delivery.
“The backbone is active. The framework is clear. The responsibility now is execution — scaling coverage in a coordinated and sustainable manner,” he said, explaining that separating wholesale infrastructure from retail service delivery allows for faster national reach and more efficient capital deployment.
Technology partner Nokia is supporting the rollout of the neutral-host network. Mustapha Salah, the firm’s regional mobile networks head, said the shared model would enable operators to deliver high-speed data services more efficiently while fostering new enterprise solutions and bridging the digital divide.
Andah credited the progress to collaboration with the NCA, mobile operators, fibre and tower partners, and financing institutions, noting that delivering a shared national backbone requires coordination across the entire value chain.
With services now active in major cities, NGIC’s next phase will focus on expanding nationwide in line with its licence obligations, positioning the shared network as the foundation for Ghana’s next generation of mobile broadband services.
