The Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, has revealed that the government is working on plans to revamp AirtelTigo.

He added that government is looking for strategic partners to takeover the operations of the telecom company.

Mr. George made the announcement during a meeting with Chief Executive Officers and technical teams of MTN, Telecel, and AirtelTigo. The engagement was to address the persistent concerns surrounding poor quality of service across the country.

 “For the first time I'll put out that government is currently in negotiations with a strategic partner to revamp and take over AT. We've started those conversations. We're giving a 60-day window for the completion of those negotiations so that by the end of Q3 we could see a full rollout of the improved services on AT”, he stated.

In 2021, the government of Ghana completed the takeover of the ownership of AirtelTigo, from Bharti Airtel.

Challenges in telecom sector

Despite the extensive infrastructure and widespread presence of telecom operators, subscribers continue to suffer from consistently poor network performance, especially in rapidly expanding urban centres and key regional towns.

The meeting featured a comprehensive presentation by the National Communications Authority (NCA), which shared findings from a recent nationwide quality of service assessment. The study, covering 48 localities, was initiated following a spike in public complaints.

The findings highlighted significant gaps in service delivery, prompting the minister to emphasize the need for urgent corrective action and improved collaboration between the government and telecom providers.

Mr. George reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring that all Ghanaians, regardless of their location, enjoy reliable and high-quality telecommunications services. The proposed revitalization of AirtelTigo is part of broader efforts to enhance competition and raise standards in the sector.