The government has granted a 5G license to Next-Gen Infrastructure Company (NGIC) to deliver affordable 5G mobile broadband services across the country.

The 5G services will be rolled out by the third quarter of this year to usher mobile phone users into a new era of digital connectivity.

The initiative is to propel Ghana towards a fully digitized society by 2030.

Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, the Minister of Communications and Digitalization, who announced this in Accra on Thursday during a news conference, said the landmark partnership agreement was signed in Mumbai, India, on Monday, May 27, 2024.

The Minister said the shared network infrastructure was co-promoted by the Government of Ghana, in collaboration with Ascent Digital, K-NET, Radisys, Nokia, and Tech Mahindra, and supported by all Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in Ghana, starting with AT and Telecel.

The partnership, she said, would enhance the lives of Ghanaians by introducing digital services in education, healthcare, and digital payment transactions, creating sustainable jobs for tech entrepreneurs and Ghanaian youths.

Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful said the roll-out of cutting-edge technology in Ghana would not come at any cost to the Government but was expected to have less than 10 percent shareholding in the Consortium.

The Minister stated that the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government was committed to ensuring equal access to internet connectivity throughout the country.

The Minister said Ghana hoped to replicate the 5G network infrastructure in other parts of the continent, saying “Ghana is leading the way as a Digital Black Star of Africa.