MTN Ghana has been formally elevated to the status of a third major subsidiary within the MTN Group, placing it alongside MTN Nigeria and MTN South Africa in the group’s highest tier of strategic importance a recognition that carries significant implications for investment flows, capital allocation, and Ghana’s position within one of Africa’s largest telecommunications networks.
MTN Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ralph Mupita made the announcement during a working visit to Accra, confirming that Ghana had been elevated purely on the strength of its 2025 performance and its growth prospects going forward. “This year we are adding Ghana as the third major subsidiary for the whole group, purely as a function of the way it has performed and the potential that we see going forward,” Mupita stated.
The elevation comes as MTN Ghana marks its 30th anniversary in 2026, with the company accelerating its transformation from a traditional telecommunications provider into a connectivity, fintech, and digital platform business.
The Group CEO’s visit also formalised a three-year capital commitment that significantly exceeds the pace of MTN’s recent investment in the country. Mupita announced plans to deploy US$1.1 billion in Ghana over the next three years, contrasting it with the US$1 billion invested over the previous five years a near-doubling of investment intensity. For 2026 alone, MTN Ghana CEO Stephen Blewett has committed more than US$300 million in capital expenditure, focused primarily on network expansion and digital infrastructure.
Central to that spending is an aggressive site rollout programme. Blewett disclosed plans to deploy at least 500 new network sites by end of 2026, compared with 50 sites built in 2025 and between 25 and 30 in 2024. “Now, we are moving to 500 sites in a single year. And why are we doing that? Because it gives a better quality of service to our customers,” he said.
The expansion addresses identified coverage weaknesses, including concerns raised directly with the Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations over service gaps in the Volta Region and other underserved areas. MTN has committed to accelerating site deployment in those communities as part of its response.
The rollout is further enabled by MTN Group’s February 2026 acquisition of the remaining 75 percent stake in IHS Towers, one of Africa’s largest tower infrastructure companies, in a deal valued at approximately US$6.2 billion. The acquisition gives MTN direct control over the physical masts underpinning its networks across 16 African markets, including Ghana, reducing dependency on third-party operators and creating structural conditions for faster and more cost-efficient deployment.
During the Accra visit, Mupita met senior officials at the Bank of Ghana (BoG), the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), and the Ministry of Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, signalling the Group’s intent to deepen engagement with regulatory and investment authorities.
The National Communications Authority (NCA) continues to monitor quality-of-service compliance across all operators, with the 500-site expansion expected to contribute to measurable improvements in coverage scores when the next regulatory assessment is published.
