The Government of Ghana has stepped in to ensure continued service for over three million AirtelTigo (AT) subscribers after a major disruption threatened to affect telecom services nationwide. The issue arose when tower operator ATC Ghana disconnected power to AT's telecom sites due to unpaid debts exceeding $150 million.
At a press briefing on Friday, September 5, 2025, Sam George, Ghana's Minister for Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovation, outlined emergency measures to prevent a nationwide communications blackout.
“To prevent a national crisis that could have severely impacted over 3 million subscribers, the National Communications Authority (NCA) instructed AT and Telecel to establish a national roaming agreement,” Sam George explained. “This agreement ensured that all AT traffic was redirected to Telecel’s network, thereby maintaining voice, SMS, data, and AT Money services."
The Minister commended the technical teams of both AT Ghana and Telecel Ghana for their swift work in executing the migration process under significant time constraints and pressure.
"I want to acknowledge the exceptional skills and commitment displayed by the technical teams of both companies. Their efforts under these challenging circumstances demonstrate that Ghana has the capacity and expertise to manage complex telecom solutions," Sam George added.
While the Minister assured that the transition would be managed effectively, he also acknowledged the potential for minor service disruptions during the migration. He promised that AT and the NCA would provide timely updates to customers regarding any issues that might arise.
In a bid to stabilize the country's telecom sector and secure the future of AT, the government has appointed KPMG as a transaction advisor. KPMG has been given 60 days to assess AT’s financial health and evaluate the government’s shareholding in Telecel Ghana. Based on this evaluation, KPMG will recommend strategies to strengthen the telecom market by establishing a robust second operator to balance competition.
In addition, Sam George assured the public that jobs would be protected during the ongoing crisis. He confirmed that the approximately 300 permanent staff members of AT Ghana would retain their employment.
“We remain committed to safeguarding jobs, and all 300 permanent staff at AT Ghana will continue to be employed,” he said.
This swift government intervention aims to prevent widespread disruption and maintain stability within the telecom sector.
Source: MyNewsGh
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