NCA Ghana: Stresses 5G License Compliance, 70% Coverage Target

• An Ericsson delegation met with Ghana's National Communications Authority (NCA) on September 8, 2026, to discuss 5G deployment and other telecommunications issues.
• The NCA emphasized its commitment to strong regulatory oversight for 5G, including clear performance expectations and measurable service outcomes.
• A key 5G license condition mandates 70% population coverage across Ghana by March 2027.
• The National Communications Authority pledged to strengthen compliance monitoring to ensure these coverage and service quality obligations are rigorously met.
• Ericsson affirmed its willingness to support Ghana's digital transformation through knowledge sharing and capacity building in areas like cybersecurity, resilient networks, and AI.

The National Communications Authority would continue to strengthen its compliance monitoring mechanisms to ensure these coverage and service quality obligations are rigorously met.

A high-level delegation from Ericsson, led by Mr. Patrick Johansson, President and Head of Market Area for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, visited the National Communications Authority (NCA) at its Accra tower on September 8, 2026. The Ericsson representatives were welcomed by Mr. Suleman Salifu, Deputy Director General for Technical Operations, and Mrs. Etta Mosore, Deputy Director General for Managerial Operations, acting on behalf of the Director General, Rev. Ing. Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko.

During the meeting, Mr. Salifu outlined the NCA's core mandate to regulate Ghana’s communications sector. This mandate encompasses fostering fairness, competition, innovation, service quality, and consumer protection, while ensuring the secure, reliable, and efficient delivery of communication services. The discussions covered a broad spectrum of critical areas, including 5G deployment strategies, Quality of Service (QoS), cybersecurity measures, network resilience, sustainable energy solutions for infrastructure, and enhancing enterprise connectivity for vital sectors such as oil and gas, mining, and ports.

The NCA's Deputy Director General for Technical Operations, Mr. Suleman Salifu, underscored the Authority's firm stance on 5G deployment, indicating that its rollout in Ghana would be strictly guided by robust regulatory oversight, clear performance expectations, and demonstrable service outcomes. He highlighted the critical 5G license condition stipulating a seventy percent (70%) population coverage target by March 2027. Crucially, Mr. Salifu affirmed that the National Communications Authority would continue to strengthen its compliance monitoring mechanisms to ensure these coverage and service quality obligations are rigorously met.

This explicit focus on NCA Ghana 5G license compliance signals a heightened regulatory scrutiny for operators. Beyond coverage, the Authority's ongoing focus for new technological introductions encompasses quality, network resilience, cybersecurity, and an optimal consumer experience, all aimed at ensuring 5G delivers tangible value to the Ghanaian populace and economy. The NCA's commitment extends to fostering an environment that supports both investment and innovation, while simultaneously safeguarding consumer and business interests.

Beyond the specifics of 5G, the NCA emphasized its broader commitment to cultivating a resilient and forward-looking communications ecosystem. Mr. Salifu reiterated the Authority's responsibility to engage actively with industry players and technology partners to achieve this goal. He also stressed the paramount importance of national emergency communications, highlighting the necessity for communications infrastructure to remain robust, responsive, and secure at all times. The NCA pledged continued collaboration with relevant stakeholders to support a communications environment fit for Ghana's evolving digital future.

Mrs. Mosore further elaborated on the significance of strategic partnerships that facilitate knowledge sharing, capacity building, and innovation. She articulated that collaborations with industry stakeholders are instrumental in advancing Ghana's comprehensive digital transformation agenda and bolstering the nation's preparedness for emerging technologies across the telecommunications landscape.

Mr. Johansson of Ericsson noted the particular significance of the visit, coinciding with Ericsson's 30th year of operations in Ghana and the NCA's own 30th anniversary. He stated that Ericsson is actively engaging partners to support Ghana's digital development and reinforce the country's foundational digital infrastructure. Ms. Majda Lahlou Kassi, Ericsson's Customer Unit Head for West and Southern Africa, expressed a positive view on the direction of Ghana's 5G licensing framework.

Ms. Kassi reaffirmed Ericsson's readiness to contribute to Ghana's progress through knowledge sharing and capacity building initiatives. These areas of support include cybersecurity, enhancing network resilience, artificial intelligence applications, and digital skills development. Both the NCA and Ericsson expressed a mutual desire to deepen their collaboration and share expertise, signaling a continued partnership in advancing Ghana's telecommunications sector.

Lawyers advising telecommunications operators in Ghana should note the NCA's explicit commitment to strengthening compliance monitoring for 5G license conditions, particularly the 70% population coverage target by March 2027. This signals increased regulatory scrutiny and potential enforcement actions for non-compliance, requiring proactive review of obligations and operational readiness.

Source: Reporting based on National Communications Authority communications.