Minister Congratulates MTN on 30 Years of Growth
By Lois Amanor
Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has congratulated MTN Ghana on its 30th anniversary, describing the milestone as part of the larger story of Ghana’s telecommunications sector. He noted that the industry has grown from a few fixed lines in the early 1990s into a modern, mobile driven ecosystem that now serves more than 40 million subscriptions nationwide.
MTN Ghana has launched its MTN@30 celebration, marking three decades of connectivity and service to Ghanaians. The event, held at MTN House, brought together government officials, partners, and customers to reflect on the company’s journey since entering the market in 1996.
The Minister noted that this transformation has been shaped by mobile operators, tower companies, internet service providers, and thousands of small enterprises that support the industry. He also acknowledged the role of regulators such as the National Communications Authority and the National Information Technology Agency, as well as successive governments that created the conditions for private investment through liberalisation and reforms.
George praised MTN’s contributions, including the introduction of GSM technology, the launch of mobile money, and the listing of its shares on the Ghana Stock Exchange. He highlighted MTN’s role in promoting financial inclusion for millions of Ghanaians, especially informal traders, SMEs, women, and young people. He also welcomed the company’s recently announced $1.1 billion investment in network expansion and its localisation of 30 percent of shares to Ghanaians.
However, the Minister reminded MTN of its responsibilities as the dominant player in Ghana’s mobile market. He said the company must be held to higher standards on pricing, service quality, network availability, transparency, and fair treatment of competitors. He pointed out that consumers continue to raise concerns about the cost of data, poor coverage outside major cities, dropped calls, and unresolved complaints.
George stressed that the government expects MTN’s new investment programme to deliver measurable improvements that customers can feel in their wallets and on their devices. He added that challenges such as affordability for low income users, vandalism of fibre and tower infrastructure, unreliable power, and cyber threats require shared responsibility across industry, regulators, and government.
The Minister also emphasised the importance of strengthening cybersecurity, protecting data, narrowing the digital skills gap among youth, and ensuring environmental sustainability in network expansion. He said the ministry is reviewing policies on spectrum, universal service obligations, and data protection, and invited MTN to engage constructively in these discussions.
Looking ahead, George said Ghana’s digital future will be defined by 5G deployment, artificial intelligence, cloud services, and the Internet of Things. He expressed confidence that MTN will play a critical role in this future, noting that Cabinet has approved measures to allow the company into the 5G space.
He concluded by congratulating MTN on its 30 years of service, saying the next three decades should be measured not only by network coverage and shareholder returns but by the quality of life delivered to every Ghanaian who relies on the network.
