Telecommunications service operator Next Gen Infraco (NGIC) has lost its status as Ghana’s sole wholesale provider of 5G infrastructure following the National Communications Authority (NCA)’s decision to remove the exclusivity clause in its licence.
The NCA said the amendment, which takes effect from Wednesday, July 15, 2026, is intended to promote competition, attract investment, and improve the delivery of next-generation telecommunications services.
In a statement, the NCA said the exclusivity provision had initially been introduced to support the rollout of a national wholesale 5G network.
However, it noted that developments in the telecommunications sector now make a competitive wholesale 5G market more beneficial to the country’s digital economy.
“The Authority has concluded that the public interest is better served by a competitive wholesale 5G market that promotes investment, innovation, network resilience, service quality, and wider access to advanced communications services,” the statement said.
According to the NCA, the amendment affects only the exclusivity condition in NGIC’s Wholesale Electronic Communications Infrastructure (Telecommunications) Licence, with all other terms, including the company’s spectrum assignment, remaining unchanged.
The authority said the decision followed a regulatory review process that gave NGIC the opportunity to respond to the proposed amendment.
It explained that a notice of the proposed amendment was issued to the company on March 2, 2026, after which consultations were held, written objections were received, and oral representations were made before the NCA Governing Board.
Following its review of the company’s submissions, the NCA said it determined that removing the exclusivity provision was in the public interest.
The authority said it exercised its powers under Section 14 of the Electronic Communications Act, 2008 (Act 775), as well as Article 6.1.2 of NGIC’s licence, to amend the conditions.
According to the regulator, opening the wholesale 5G market to competition is expected to encourage greater private investment, stimulate innovation, strengthen network resilience, improve service quality, and accelerate Ghana’s digital transformation.
