Telcos should enhance service by December 2025 or face fines – Sam George warns
The Minister for Communication, Digitalisation and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, has issued a stern directive to the nation’s cellular community operators, demanding substantial enhancements in service high quality by 31 December 2025.
In accordance with the directive, failure to conform will lead to stringent monetary penalties, with a notable 40% of such fines earmarked for direct compensation to affected shoppers, probably by means of bonus knowledge or call-time credit .
This ultimatum was introduced throughout a high-level assembly on Friday, 30 Might 2025, involving the chief government officers and technical groups of Ghana’s main telecom suppliers—MTN, Telecel, and AT. Minister George criticised the continued subpar service skilled by subscribers, significantly in quickly increasing city areas and key regional cities, regardless of vital infrastructure investments.
“We aren’t doing sentiments. We’re doing engineering,” he asserted, including, “When you’ve got infrastructure in place however your service is poor, we should start to take regulatory motion.”
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The assembly additionally featured a presentation by the National Communications Authority (NCA), based mostly on a efficiency evaluation performed in 48 localities throughout the nation. This examine, prompted by escalating public complaints, evaluated 4 key efficiency indicators: 3G Protection, Name Setup Time (CST), Imply Opinion Rating (MOS) for name high quality, and 3G Information Throughput. The findings revealed regarding inconsistencies in community efficiency throughout all three operators.
Minister George, who additionally serves because the Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, highlighted problematic areas corresponding to Amasaman and East Legon, the place service high quality has deteriorated regardless of broader community protection. He famous that elements of Accra are experiencing community “blackouts” and substandard 4G efficiency.
A complete nationwide service high quality take a look at, encompassing all district capitals, is scheduled to be performed by the NCA within the third quarter of 2025. Primarily based on its findings, the federal government will take “decisive motion” if no vital enhancements are noticed.
In a major coverage shift, the minister introduced that 40% of any fines imposed on non-compliant telecom firms might be allotted on to affected clients, possible by means of knowledge or call-time bonuses.
Within the quick time period, operators have till 30 June 2025 to finish the acceptance course of for newly allotted spectrum. They’re anticipated to begin deployment instantly, with seen enhancements in service anticipated by the top of December.
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“We all know you’ll be able to’t full upgrades in three months, however we should see that the method has begun. The Ghanaian individuals should really feel the influence of the spectrum rollout by the top of this yr,” Minister George emphasised.
In response, telecom executives outlined their methods to handle service high quality considerations:
MTN Ghana CEO Stephen Blewett revealed a $230 million funding in 2024 geared toward strengthening the corporate’s community and IT techniques. Plans embrace launching 300 new franchise shops, hiring 400 new employees, and introducing safe self-service instruments for SIM swaps and PIN resets.
Telecel Ghana COO Mohamad Ghaddar emphasised ongoing community optimisation and customer service improvements. The corporate at the moment operates over 400 retail outlets and plans so as to add 100 extra. Ghaddar additionally reaffirmed assist for patrons with particular wants and welcomed regulatory engagement.
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AirtelTigo (AT) CEO Leo Skarlatos said that vital community upgrades are underway and needs to be “clearly seen” by the primary quarter of 2026. He invited stakeholders to witness the enhancements early subsequent yr.
Past service supply, the minister addressed the problem of knowledge pricing. He recalled the formation of a committee in February 2025 tasked with crafting a method for gradual reductions in knowledge prices. The main focus, he defined, could be on providing extra worth to shoppers somewhat than instant value drops, as a way to defend market stability and ongoing infrastructure investments.
The minister’s directive alerts a daring new section of regulatory oversight, geared toward guaranteeing that telecom suppliers ship dependable, high-quality providers that meet the calls for of Ghana’s rising digital financial system.
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