By Albert Futukpor / Solomon Gumah
Tamale, Aug. 17, GNA – MTN Ghana is investing US$1.1 billion over the next three years to enhance network capacity, improve service quality and strengthen the resilience of its infrastructure across the country.
Mr Emmanuel Afutu, Senior Manager of the MTN Transformation Team, announced this during a media and stakeholders’ forum organised by MTN Ghana in Tamale.
The forum, attended by media practitioners and stakeholders from the Northern, North East, Savannah and Upper East Regions, formed part of activities marking MTN Ghana’s 30th anniversary.
It also provided a platform for the company to engage stakeholders on its operations, investments, challenges and contributions to national development.
Mr Afutu said about US$380 million of the investment would be deployed in 2026, with 80 new network sites to be constructed across the four regions to improve connectivity and meet the growing demand for digital services.
He said the Northern region would receive 38 new sites, Savannah region 17, Upper East region 14 and North East region 11 as part of a broader commitment to deploy 500 new cell sites nationwide.
Mr Afutu said MTN Ghana currently connected more than 32 million subscribers, stressing that the company viewed connectivity not merely as a technological service but as a tool for creating economic and social opportunities.
“Digital inclusion is not simply about access to technology, it is about ensuring that people can use technology to improve their lives, livelihoods and future,” he said.
Mr Afutu said Mobile Money (MoMo) had become an important gateway to economic participation, with transaction value increasing by 44.4 per cent year-on-year during the first half of 2026.
According to him, active MoMo users increased by 3.1 per cent, while transaction volumes and MoMo revenue each grew by 23.3 per cent over the same period.
He said the company recorded strong financial performance during the first half of 2026, with service revenue growing by 32.3 per cent to GH¢15 billion.
Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation (EBITDA) increased by 47.1 per cent to GH¢9.3 billion, while profit after tax rose by 46.8 per cent to GH¢5.1 billion.
Mr Afutu described the performance as critical to sustaining investments in infrastructure, employment and community development.
He said beyond its commercial operations, MTN Ghana had contributed significantly to national development through taxes and levies, paying GH¢5.6 billion in direct and indirect taxes and GH¢384.7 million in fees and levies during the first half of 2026.
Mr Afutu said the MTN Ghana Foundation continued to invest in education, health and economic empowerment, citing the MTN Skills Academy, which aimed to equip more than 100,000 young people with digital and employability skills.
He said the Foundation’s Bright Scholarship Scheme had supported more than 1,200 students through the sponsorship of tuition, hostel fees and the provision of learning devices, including laptops.
Mr Afutu said MTN Ghana was also committed to improving community well-being through its Water, Sanitation and Hygiene initiative, under which employee volunteers supported basic schools in all 16 regions of the country.
He said the company’s sustainability agenda, anchored on the pillars of “Doing for People, Doing it Right, Doing for Growth and Doing for the Planet”, reflected its commitment to ensuring that growth translated into lasting benefits for citizens.
As MTN Ghana marked 30 years of operations in the country, Mr Afutu said the company would continue to work with government, regulators, the media, educational institutions and communities to address challenges relating to affordability, digital literacy and access, while ensuring, that no one was left behind in the country’s digital transformation.
Mr Yakubu Abdul-Majeed, Northern Regional Chairman, Ghana Journalists Association, said reliable telecommunications infrastructure was essential to journalism since and it enabled journalists to connect with communities and keep the public informed.
He called for stronger collaboration between MTN Ghana and the media, especially in providing journalists with digital tools and connectivity needed to perform their duties effectively.
ASP Richard Ackumey, Deputy Northern Regional Crime Officer, Ghana Police Service said telecommunications companies such as MTN Ghana were critical partners in the fight against emerging forms of digital crime.
He explained that criminals were increasingly exploiting the digital space and therefore making timely access to relevant telecommunications information was essential for effective investigations.
GNA
Edited by Eric K Amoh/Lydia Kukua Asamoah
Writers’ Emails: [email protected]/[email protected]