MTN Ghana’s plan to install 500 new network sites in 2026 alone, backed by a US$1.1 billion three-year capital programme, has taken on a new strategic dimension following its parent group’s acquisition of a majority stake in IHS Towers, the infrastructure company that currently owns and operates a substantial portion of the physical masts underpinning MTN’s Ghanaian network.
In February 2026, MTN Group acquired the remaining 75 percent stake in IHS Towers, one of the largest tower infrastructure companies in Africa, valuing the deal at approximately US$6.2 billion. The acquisition significantly deepens MTN’s control over the physical infrastructure underpinning its network operations across its 16 markets, including Ghana, reducing its dependency on third-party tower operators and creating structural conditions for faster rollout.
For Ghana specifically, the timing is significant. MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita confirmed during a three-day working visit to Accra that the company currently operates more than 5,000 telecommunications sites across the country and intends to add 500 more this year alone, representing a tenfold increase compared with recent expansion rates. MTN Ghana CEO Stephen Blewett put the acceleration into perspective, noting the company built 50 sites in 2025 and between 25 and 30 in 2024 before committing to 500 in a single year.
Previously, the pace of tower deployment in Ghana was partly constrained by the need to negotiate site acquisition, construction and lease arrangements through third-party tower companies. With MTN Group now owning IHS Towers outright, the chain of approvals and cost structures for new site development across its African markets shortens materially.
The US$1.1 billion capital programme targets network resilience, 4G densification, 5G connectivity, large-scale data centre development, and expanded subsea cable connectivity to improve international bandwidth resilience, areas directly aligned with Ghana’s ambition to position itself as a regional artificial intelligence and cloud services hub.
On 5G, Mupita was direct in his discussions with Communications Minister Sam George. He told the minister that the availability of 5G spectrum would enable and empower everyday Ghanaians in terms of home connectivity, and that quality of service improvements, particularly in peri-urban and rural areas, were at the centre of the company’s commitments to government. Ghana has yet to formally auction 5G spectrum, and MTN’s accelerated investment timeline creates additional pressure on the National Communications Authority to clarify its spectrum allocation roadmap, as operators cannot deploy 5G equipment without licensed frequencies regardless of how many physical sites they build.
The US$1.1 billion commitment also encompasses digital skills training for Ghanaian youth, an area MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita described as a deliberate strategic extension of the company’s role beyond connectivity into human capital development, with a focus on supporting young Ghanaians to become content creators rather than simply content consumers.
Source : www.newsghana.com.gh
