Sam George Labels Akufo-Addo’s 5G Launch a ‘Smokescreen,’ Warns NGIC of License Revocation
On August 1, 2025, Ghana’s Minister for Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, declared that no 5G services are currently operational in Ghana, dismissing the November 1, 2024, launch by former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as a “smokescreen” and “voicemail.”
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series, George asserted that the high-profile event at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, attended by Akufo-Addo and then-Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, lacked substance, as no 5G network was active at the launch venue or anywhere in the country.
He emphasized that neither the National Communications Authority (NCA) nor Next-Gen Infrastructure Company (NGIC) had been instructed to deactivate any 5G sites, reinforcing his claim that no such services exist.
George clarified that NGIC, the consortium tasked with rolling out Ghana’s 5G infrastructure, has received all necessary approvals, including a final connecting entity license for mobile network operators (MNOs) granted two weeks prior.
However, he rejected NGIC’s request for an additional Internet Service Provider (ISP) license, arguing that their existing three-year license, which grants exclusive rights to operate a shared neutral 4G/5G network, should be sufficient for them to focus on MNO partnerships.
The minister issued a stern warning to NGIC, stating that failure to launch full commercial 5G services by the end of Q4 2025 would result in the revocation of the exclusivity clause in their 10-year contract, opening the door for new negotiations.
NGIC, formed in 2024 with partners including Ascend Digital, K-NET, Radisys, Nokia, Tech Mahindra, AT Ghana, and Telecel Ghana, has deployed 16 5G-ready cell sites and aims to activate 350 sites by Q4 2025, with 50 being 5G-capable, primarily in Accra and Kumasi.
George’s remarks highlight ongoing delays in Ghana’s 5G rollout, initially promised for September 2024, then postponed to December 2024, January 2025, and now June 2025. Critics, including investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, have questioned the exclusivity granted to NGIC, a company formed just days before Akufo-Addo’s approval in August 2023, without a competitive auction.
Despite the government’s vision to bridge the digital divide and enhance sectors like healthcare and education, low 4G adoption (only 15% of mobile users) and limited infrastructure readiness remain challenges.
