The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, held high-level discussions with leaders of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, Chief Executives of major telecom operators, and officials of the National Communications Authority (NCA) on plans for a fresh national SIM Card re-registration exercise and the rollout of 5G technology in Ghana.
The meeting, which was held on Wednesday, 4th March, 2026, brought together key industry players, including MTN Ghana CEO Stephen Blewett, Telecel Ghana CEO Patricia Obo-Nai, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, Sylvia Owusu-Ankomah, and NCA Director-General Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko, along with senior officials from the Ministry and the regulator.
Discussions focused on reforms approved by the Cabinet to strengthen national security, enhance service quality in the telecom sector, and accelerate Ghana’s digital transformation agenda.
Addressing participants, the Minister disclosed that the Cabinet has approved a completely new SIM registration exercise after an extensive review of the previous process.
According to him, the earlier registration exercise was affected by several challenges, including weak biometric enforcement, data inconsistencies, and cases of registration fraud.
He emphasized that the new initiative will not be a continuation of the old system but rather a complete reset aimed at restoring credibility and strengthening security in the SIM registration database.
Under the proposed framework, the National Communications Authority will serve as the central repository of SIM registration data, while biometric verification will be mandatory for all users.
The system will also introduce a Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR), which will allow telecom operators to block stolen or fraud-related devices across networks.
In addition, a revised Legislative Instrument (L.I.) is being prepared to regulate the new registration exercise.
Industry leaders welcomed the move to strengthen the system but also raised operational concerns that would need to be addressed during implementation.
5G policy reset and spectrum auction
On 5G deployment, the Minister revealed that the Cabinet has approved the removal of the exclusivity clause under the previous wholesale 5G framework.
The decision paves the way for a new competitive spectrum auction process.
He explained that although the wholesale model has not been scrapped entirely, the new framework will allow for network-based rollout by operators with the goal of ensuring wider and more equitable deployment.
Key highlights of the plan include a new 5G spectrum auction expected to be concluded soon and a coordinated rollout strategy to prevent market distortions within the telecom sector.
Industry executives noted that 5G deployment is highly capital-intensive, requiring substantial investment in spectrum acquisition, network upgrades, and infrastructure expansion.
They therefore called for reasonable spectrum pricing, clear policy direction, and streamlined regulatory approvals to facilitate faster rollout.
Collaborative path forward
The meeting ended with an agreement to initiate structured technical engagements between the Ministry, the National Communications Authority, the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications and telecom operators to refine implementation details for both the SIM registration exercise and the 5G spectrum auction framework.
Immediate next steps include finalising the revised Legislative Instrument and publishing the documentation for the spectrum auction.
Participants described the engagement as a renewed collaborative effort between government and industry as Ghana prepares for a new phase of digital regulation and next-generation connectivity.
Source:Fiilafmonline/CitiNews
