MTN marks 30 years with US$1.1bn network expansion drive

By Christabel DANSO ABEAM

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MTN Ghana, Mr Stephen Blewett has announced the telecommunication’s plans to invest US$1.1billion in network expansion and digital infrastructure over the next three years as it celebrates 30 years of operations in Ghana.

This investment,  Mr Blewett said in an interview, is aimed at improving connectivity, expanding mobile money services, strengthening data capacity and preparing the country for the next phase of digital transformation, including the rollout of 5G technology and artificial intelligence-driven services.

He further explained that the investment demonstrates the company’s long-term commitment to Ghana despite ongoing economic pressures and the high cost of telecommunications infrastructure.

“It’s about celebrating our customers, our own people who have worked tirelessly to bring us where we are,” he stated.

Mr. Blewett on challenges noted that one of the key difficulties has been managing the rapid growth in network demand while maintaining service quality across the country.

“You have to manage mountains and valleys. You need to grow the network to give more capacity so people can have a better data experience and ensure mobile money services remain available and secure,” he stressed.

In addition is sustaining investment in telecommunications infrastructure since most equipment and network expansion costs are denominated in foreign currencies while revenues are earned locally.

As part of the investment programme, the CEO revealed that US$380million out of the US$1.1bn will be spent this year alone to deploy about 800 new network sites nationwide — a significant jump from the 50 sites added last year.

This expansion, according to him would improve network coverage, increase capacity and enhance customer experience, especially in underserved areas.

Beyond infrastructure expansion, there would be a series of customer reward initiatives is which to run from June to December as part of its anniversary celebrations.

Customers are expected to win prizes including data bundles, mobile phones and vehicles through promotional campaigns designed to appreciate their loyalty over the years.

Mr. Blewett also outlined its outlook for the future of telecommunications and financial technology, predicting that advances in 5G and artificial intelligence will fundamentally transform how people interact with digital services.

According to him, future mobile ecosystems may rely less on standalone applications and more on integrated AI assistants capable of handling multiple digital tasks seamlessly.

“5G is going to become something we are used to in the next few years. People may not care whether it is 4G, 5G or 6G — what matters is what the technology enables them to do,” he noted.

On fintech, he assured consumers that mobile money services would continue evolving beyond cash transfers and withdrawals into broader financial services such as loans, savings and digital commerce solutions.

Concluding, he reiterated MTN’s commitment to sustainability, and revealed that the company is investing in solar-powered infrastructure and greener data centres to reduce environmental impact and support climate-friendly operations.

The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George while congratulating the company on its milestone, urged MTN Ghana to translate its market leadership into improved service quality, affordable data pricing and broader nationwide connectivity during his speech delivery speech at the anniversary launch.

He stressed on consumers continues concerns over the high cost of data, inconsistent network coverage in rural communities, dropped calls and delays in resolving customer complaints.

The Minister further described the occasion as not only a milestone for MTN but also a reflection of Ghana’s telecommunications transformation over the past three decades.

“Today’s milestone is first and foremost a story about Ghana’s telecommunications sector,” he said, noting that the industry has evolved from limited fixed-line services in the early 1990s into a modern, mobile-first and data-driven ecosystem serving millions of subscribers nationwide.

 

 

 

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