Major Telecom Operators to Roll Out Over 1,300 New Cell Sites in 2026 – Significant Network Improvement Expected
Ghanaians can expect a notable improvement in voice and data services in the coming months as major telecom operators ramp up infrastructure investment with the rollout of more than 1,300 new cell sites this year.
The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Sam George, made this disclosure during the presentation of laptops to selected universities under the One Million Coders Programme.
He revealed that MTN will deploy 800 new sites in 2026, while Telecel has announced 350 sites. This represents a significant increase compared to the recent annual average of approximately 223 sites.
“Telecel has also announced 150 new cell sites. Now I met with the group CEO of MTN at the Mobile World Conference, and I said to him, you are an SMP, TeleCell is doing 350, you’ve announced 500, thank you, but I want more. And credit to MTN group, approval was given for 300 more sites, so MTN is doing 800 sites this year,” the Minister said.
He added: “Put that in perspective… on the average, it’s been 223 sites a year. We’re doing almost four times that this year… that should explain to you the level of improvement in the network.”
Minister Sam George emphasised that these investments are aimed at addressing longstanding connectivity challenges and enhancing overall network quality across the country. He noted that while the full impact will take a few months to materialise, the expanded capacity will bring noticeable improvements.
He also stated that regulatory actions, including fines where necessary, would be directed toward improving service delivery for customers.
“If we impose the fines, the NCA will do everything they can to make sure that what would have been fined is used to improve the network, the customer benefits from it,” he explained.
The announcement is part of the government’s broader digital transformation agenda, which includes expanding digital infrastructure to support education, business, and innovation nationwide.
Source: Remarks by Hon. Sam George, Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation
