Ghana Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Last updated: 2 Apr 2025 Update History

Report Status: Current

Report Pages: 204

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

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Summary
Table Of Contents

Ghana’s MNOs delay commercialising 5G services

Ghana’s telecom market has undergone several changes in recent years, following the sale of Vodafone Ghana to Telecel Group and its rebranding as Telecel Ghana. Telecel Group then committed itself to investing in mobile infrastructure and widening the reach of its LTE service.

Two of the other key players merged to form AirtelTigo in 2017, though in mid-2020 the parent companies of the operator decided to exit the market. The sale and transfer of AirtelTigo to the state was completed in November 2021, and the operator was rebranded as AT in mid-2023.

In the mobile sector, MTN Ghana remains the dominant player and has gained market share in recent years, despite the regulator having imposed measures to improve the competitive environment.

The government chose not to auction spectrum for 5G, instead setting up a joint venture company to build a national network offering services to telcos on a wholesale basis. The network was opened in November 2024, but the country’s MNOs have yet to offer commercial 5G services. This is largely because existing LTE penetration remains low, and the existing capacity of LTE and LTE-A networks can manage anticipated data traffic growth in the short term. While MTN Ghana has signalled a willingness to invest in 5G, there is insufficient user demand for it to progress.

Key developments:

Regulator reveals strategic plan through to 2028.
Ghanaian government addresses high cost of internet data.
Vodafone Ghana is rebranded as Telecel Ghana.
Free roaming is implemented between Ghana, Benin, and Togo.
Tizeti launches its FreeFiber broadband service in Accra, providing data rates of over 1Gb/s.
Ghana’s telcos show reluctance to start commercial 5G services using the national 5G wholesale network.
Ministry of Communications planning a fresh SIM card registration scheme.
Report update includes the regulator’s market data and statistical bulletins to December 2023, Bank of Ghana data to January 2025, telcos’ operating data to Q4 2024, updated Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

Telecel Ghana (Vodafone Ghana, Ghana Telecom, OneTouch), Capital Telecom, Globacom, MainOne, VoltaCom, Phase3 Telecom, Suburban Telecom, AirtelTigo (Tigo Ghana, Airtel Ghana), MTN Ghana, Expresso Telecom (Sudatel, Kasapa), Globacom (Glo Mobile), Thuraya, Network Computer Systems (NCS), InternetGhana, Africa Online, Busy Internet, Linkserve, IDN, Infinite Stream Ghana, Electricity Corporation of Ghana (ECG), Cactel Communications, O3b Networks, Internet Solutions, OneWeb.

Key statistics
Regional Africa Market Comparison

Market characteristics
Market Leaders
Market Challengers
Market Emergents
TMI vs GDP
Mobile and mobile broadband penetration
Fixed versus mobile broadband penetration

Country overview
Telecommunications market

Market analysis

Regulatory environment

Regulatory authority
Fixed-line developments

West African Common Regulatory Framework 2005
Competition framework 2006
Electronic Communications Act
Electronic Transaction Act
Universal service
Ghana Investment Fund for Telecommunications (GIFTEL)
The eCARE project
Telecom sector liberalisation
Fixed-line licence conditions

Mobile network developments

Quality of Service (QoS)
Licensing
Technology neutrality
Spectrum
Roaming
Mobile Termination Rates (MTRs)
Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
Network sharing
Taxation
SIM card registration

Mobile market

Market analysis
Mobile statistics
Mobile infrastructure

Analogue networks
Digital networks
Other infrastructure developments
Mobile data
Mobile broadband

Major mobile operators

Telecel Ghana
MTN Ghana
Tigo Ghana (Millicom Ghana, Mobitel)
AirtelTigo
Expresso
Glo Mobile
Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs)
M2M

Mobile content and applications

M-banking
M-health

Fixed-line broadband market

Introduction and statistical overview
Broadband statistics
Public Internet Access Venues (PAVs)
Shared access centres
Mobile Telecentre To-Go

Ghana Internet Service Providers Association (GISPA)

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks
Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP)
Other fixed broadband services

Fixed wireless broadband
Powerline Communication (PLC)
Satellite broadband
Starlink
O3b

Domestic backbone network infrastructure

Ghana National Public Data Network (DataNet)
FastNet
VoltaCom
Internet Solutions (IS)
Phase3 Telecom
Electronic Data Interchange

Digital economy

E-commerce
E-government, e-Ghana project
E-learning
E-health

Fixed network operators

Telecel Ghana

Privatisation
Network infrastructure

AirtelTigo

Nationalisation 2006
Re-privatisation 2007

MTN Ghana
Capital Telecom (defunct)

Telecommunications infrastructure

Overview of the national telecom network
Fibre backbone infrastructure
Internet Exchange Points (IXPs)

Ghana Internet Exchange Point (GIX)
Accra-IXP
LINX Acca

International infrastructure

Submarine cables
Satellite services

Data centres
Smart infrastructure

Appendix – Historic data
Glossary of abbreviations
Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities – Ghana – 2025 (e)
Table 2 – Change in the number of mobile numbers ported – 2011 – 2019
Table 3 – Change in the number of mobile towers in service by operator – 2015 – 2022
Table 4 – Change in the number of mobile towers in service – 2015 – 2022
Table 5 – Change in the number of prepaid and contract mobile subscribers (million) – 2015 – 2023
Table 6 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 7 – Change in the number of mobile voice subscribers by operator (million) – 2012 – 2023
Table 8 – Change in the market share of mobile subscribers by operator – 2012 – 2023
Table 9 – Development of domestic mobile voice traffic – 2017 – 2023
Table 10 – Change in the number of LTE/BWA subscribers by operator – 2016 – 2023
Table 11 – Growth in the number of LTE subscribers – 2016 – 2023
Table 12 – Development of SMS traffic – 2015 – 2023
Table 13 – Development of mobile data traffic – 2013 – 2023
Table 14 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 15 – Growth in the number of mobile broadband subscribers by operator (thousand) – 2013 – 2023
Table 16 – Change in the share of mobile broadband subscribers by operator – 2015 – 2023
Table 17 – Growth in the number of MTN Ghana’s mobile data subscribers – 2018 – 2024
Table 18 – Change in the number of mobile devices by type (million) – 2020 – 2022
Table 19 – Change in the market share of mobile devices by type – 2020 – 2022
Table 20 – Growth in the number of Vodafone Ghana’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2023
Table 21 – Change in the number of MTN Ghana’s mobile sites by technology – 2018 – 2024
Table 22 – Development of MTN Ghana’s financial data (ZAR million) – 2012 – 2024
Table 23 – Development of MTN Ghana’s financial data (GHS billion) – 2018 – 2024
Table 24 – Development of MTN Ghana’s revenue by type (ZAR million) – 2013 – 2024
Table 25 – Growth in the number of MTN Ghana’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2024
Table 26 – Development of MTN Ghana’s ARPU – 2012 – 2024
Table 27 – Change in the number of AirtelTigo’s mobile subscribers – 2013 – 2023
Table 28 – Change in the number of Glo Mobile’s subscribers – 2013 – 2022
Table 29 – Growth in MTN Ghana’s fintech revenue – 2020 – 2024
Table 30 – Increase in the number of MTN Ghana’s m-money subscribers – 2016 – 2024
Table 31 – Growth in the number of m-money subscriptions and accounts (million) – 2012 – 2024
Table 32 – Growth in the number and value of m-money transactions – 2012 – 2024
Table 33 – Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2027
Table 34 – Change in the number of fixed broadband subscribers by operator – 2016 – 2023
Table 35 – Change in the market share of fixed broadband subscribers by operator – 2016 – 2023
Table 36 – Increase in the number of Telecel Ghana’s fixed broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2023
Table 37 – Change in the number of DSL subscribers – 2012 – 2019
Table 38 – Broadband wireless access subscribers by operator – 2016 – 2023
Table 39 – Broadband wireless access market share by operator – 2016 – 2023
Table 40 – Change in the number of fixed-line subscribers by operator – 2012 – 2023
Table 41 – Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2012 – 2027
Table 42 – Decline in fixed voice traffic – 2017 – 2023
Table 43 – Increase in international internet bandwidth (Gb/s) – 2016 – 2023
Table 44 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 1999 – 2011
Table 45 – Historic - MTN Ghana’s ARPU – 2002 – 2011
Table 46 – Historic - Tigo Ghana mobile subscribers (regulator data) – 2013 – 2017
Table 47 – Historic - Tigo Ghana mobile subscribers (company data) – 2010 – 2017
Table 48 – Historic - Espresso Ghana mobile subscribers – 2013 – 2017
Table 49 – Historic - Internet users and penetration rate – 2000 – 2015
Table 50 – Historic - Fixed-line broadband subscribers – 2004 – 2011
Table 51 – Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 1999 – 2011
Table 52 – Historic - International bandwidth – 2001 – 2011
Table 53 – Historic - Growth in the number of Vodafone Ghana’s mobile subscribers – 2008 – 2011
Table 54 – Historic - DSL subscribers – 2005 – 2011

List of Charts

Chart 1 – Africa Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Leaders
Chart 2 – Africa – Market Leaders global ranking
Chart 3 – Africa Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Challengers
Chart 4 – Africa – Market Challengers global ranking
Chart 5 – Africa Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Emergents
Chart 6 – Africa – Market Emergents global ranking
Chart 7 – Africa – Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per capita
Chart 8 – Africa – Mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 9 – Africa – Fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 10 - Change in the number of mobile towers in service by operator – 2015 – 2022
Chart 11 - Change in the number of prepaid and contract mobile subscribers (million) – 2015 – 2023
Chart 12 - Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 13 – Change in the number of mobile voice subscribers by operator – 2012 – 2023
Chart 14 – Change in the market share of mobile subscribers by operator – 2012 – 2023
Chart 15 – Development of domestic mobile voice traffic – 2017 – 2023
Chart 16 – Growth in the number of LTE subscribers – 2016 – 2023
Chart 17 – Development of SMS traffic – 2015 – 2023
Chart 18 – Development of mobile data traffic – 2013 – 2023
Chart 19 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 20 – Growth in the number of GSM/3G mobile broadband subscribers by operator – 2013 – 2023
Chart 21 – Change in the share of mobile broadband subscribers by operator – 2015 – 2023
Chart 22 – Growth in the number of MTN Ghana’s mobile data subscribers – 2018 – 2024
Chart 23 – Change in the number of mobile devices by type – 2020 – 2022
Chart 24 – Change in the market share of mobile devices by type – 2020 – 2022
Chart 25 – Growth in the number of Vodafone Ghana’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2023
Chart 26 – Change in the number of MTN Ghana’s mobile sites by technology – 2018 – 2024
Chart 27 – Development of MTN Ghana’s financial data – 2012 – 2024
Chart 28 – Development of MTN Ghana’s financial data (GHS) – 2018 – 2024
Chart 29 – Development of MTN Ghana’s revenue by type (ZAR) – 2013 – 2024
Chart 30 – Growth in the number of MTN Ghana’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2024
Chart 31 – Development of MTN Ghana’s ARPU – 2012 – 2024
Chart 32 – Change in the number of AirtelTigo’s mobile subscribers – 2013 – 2023
Chart 33 – Change in the number of Glo Mobile’s subscribers – 2013 – 2022
Chart 34 – Increase in the number of MTN Ghana’s m-money subscribers – 2016 – 2024
Chart 35 – Growth in the number of m-money subscriptions and accounts – 2012 – 2024
Chart 36 – Growth in the number and value of m-money transactions – 2012 – 2024
Chart 37 – Change in the number of fixed broadband subscribers by operator – 2016 – 2023
Chart 38 – Change in the market share of fixed broadband subscribers by operator – 2016 – 2023
Chart 39 – Change in the number of fixed-line subscribers by operator – 2012 – 2023
Chart 40 - Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2012 – 2027
Chart 41 - Decline in fixed voice traffic – 2017 – 2023
Chart 42 - Increase in international internet bandwidth (Gb/s) – 2016 – 2023

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – Map of Telecom Maturity Index global ranking among countries in Africa
Exhibit 2 – Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment
Exhibit 3 – Africa – Market Leaders and market developments
Exhibit 4 – Africa – Market Challengers and market developments
Exhibit 5 – Africa – Market Emergents and market developments
Exhibit 6 – Overview of mobile network launch dates
Exhibit 7 – 2Africa landing stations

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Ghana Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Purchase this Report

Ghana’s MNOs delay commercialising 5G services

Key developments:

Companies mentioned in this report:

Key statistics

Regional Africa Market Comparison

Country overview

Telecommunications market

Regulatory environment

Mobile market

Fixed-line broadband market

Digital economy

Fixed network operators

Telecommunications infrastructure

Appendix – Historic data

Glossary of abbreviations

Related reports

Purchase this Report

Share this Report

TMT Intelligence

A platform to scale your intelligence tasks

Research Methodology

Hot Topics

News & Views