The Minister for Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, has issued a stern warning to the Next-Gen Infrastructure Company (NGIC), stating that the government will revoke the exclusivity clause in its contract if the company does not meet critical deadlines for rolling out 5G services. During the Government Accountability Series on Friday, August 1, the Minister acknowledged some progress but emphasised that NGIC must fulfil its obligation to launch full commercial 5G operations by the end of the fourth quarter of 2025.
“I stated in my last briefing that if NGIC fails to roll out full commercial activity by the end of the fourth quarter this year, I will terminate the terms of that contract, revoke the exclusivity clause, and open negotiations for new contracts,” he warned.
Currently, NGIC holds exclusive rights to operate as Ghana’s shared neutral infrastructure provider for both 4G and 5G networks. Mr. George revealed that the company has deployed 16 5G-ready sites and has received 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 scheduled 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.
By: Patricia Boakye
