Ghanaians Now Get More Data For Less Money - Sam George

Ghanaian households and businesses are receiving significantly more mobile data and paying far less for fixed broadband following government negotiations with network operators, Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations Minister Samuel Nartey George has announced.

Speaking on Monday at the Government Accountability Series at the Jubilee House in Accra, Mr. George said direct engagements with the chief executives of the mobile network operators had delivered better value for consumers.

“I engaged directly with the chief executives of our mobile network operators, and that engagement bore fruit,” he said.

MTN increased data volumes on its bundles by 15 per cent, while Telecel and AirtelTigo each raised theirs by 10 per cent.

“Meaning every cedi a Ghanaian spends on mobile data now buys significantly more,” he added.

The intervention extended beyond mobile services. Following further talks this year, MTN cut its fibre broadband prices by up to 70 per cent. Its 100 Mbps unlimited package dropped from GH¢987 to GH¢299 a month, with new 300 Mbps and 500 Mbps tiers introduced for homes and businesses.

Telecel also revised its fixed-data prices earlier in the year, producing notable reductions for customers.

“That represents an almost GH¢600 saving per month for Ghanaian families and households and businesses,” the minister said. 

“Ghanaian families and enterprises are today getting more data dramatically on both their phones and their fixed lines for less money than they paid a year ago.”

He described the outcome as evidence of a ministry that “understands this industry from the inside and negotiates on behalf of the Ghanaian customer, not on behalf of the operators.”

Hon. George acknowledged ongoing challenges with network quality, coverage and congestion. He attributed these largely to “a legacy of nearly a decade in which policy and regulation failed to keep pace with a country’s shift from a voice-driven market to a data-driven economy,” adding that the problems could not be fixed in a single year but that “considerable steps have been made through the regulator.”