Accra, Sept. 9, GNA – Smartphone penetration in Ghana has increased significantly over the past decade, rising from 27.5 per cent in 2016 to 71.8 per cent as of June 2026.Ā
Mr Sam Nartey George, the Minister of Communications, Digitalisation and Innovation, said the increase had been accompanied by growing reliance on mobile networks for work, business, banking, education, and other everyday activities.
The minister, speaking during the Government Accountability Series in Accra on Monday, noted that the expansion of network infrastructure, however, had not kept pace with the growing demand for mobile connectivity, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
He said data on network development showed that 134 new sites were added in 2016, increasing to 352 in 2017, and 300 in 2018.
“A further 352 sites were added in 2019, 200 in 2020, 120 in 2021, 343 in 2022, and 350 in 2023,” he added.
āThe only 30 new sites were added in 2024, while 50 were planned for 2025.ā
Mr George said the Ministry had, therefore, pushed for an increase in the number of new sites planned by MTN for 2026 from 500 to 800, describing the original target as inadequate to meet growing connectivity needs.
The development was expected to help address gaps in network coverage and improve access to digital services across the country, he said.
“Many rural and remote sites continue to rely on 2G and 3G technologies, which are adequate for basic voice and SMS services but have limitations in supporting modern digital services,” Mr George said.
Thus, the Ministry was prioritising the upgrade of such infrastructure to support 4G and 5G services, including improvements to fibre and microwave backhaul.
He said telecommunications operators had also been encouraged to ensure that new rural sites were 4G-ready from the outset and to accelerate the retirement of legacy-only equipment where traffic and terrain conditions were permitted.
“The upgrades are expected to support digital agricultural extension services, online marketplaces, mobile banking, e-learning, mobile money, weather information, telemedicine, and remote employment opportunities,” he added.
He said closing the gap between smartphone adoption and network infrastructure expansion was critical to ensuring that more Ghanaians benefited from the country’s growing digital economy.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
9 Sept. 2026