Mukesh Ambani's New Affordable Telecom Venture in Ghana

Mukesh Ambani is poised to enter the African market with a new telecom venture, focusing on mobile broadband customers. According to Bloomberg, Ambani's Reliance Industries Ltd. subsidiary, Radisys Corp, will supply essential network infrastructure, applications, and smartphones for Ghana-based Next-Gen InfraCo (NGIC). NGIC Executive Director Harkirit Singh announced that operations will commence by the end of this year.

NGIC plans to offer 5G broadband services to mobile operators and internet service providers in Ghana. Singh emphasized the goal of providing affordable digital services in emerging markets.

The venture’s partners include Nokia Oyj, Tech Mahindra Ltd., and Microsoft Corp. Ghana’s primary telecom operators are MTN Ghana, Vodafone Ghana, and the state-owned AirtelTigo. Singh highlighted that NGIC’s strategic partners, technological expertise, and exclusive 5G license will enable it to deliver broadband services at scale, a significant cost for individual carriers.

Ascend Digital Solutions Ltd. and K-NET, two African telecom firms, hold a combined 55% stake in NGIC, while the Ghanaian government owns just under 10%. NGIC has exclusive rights to offer 5G services in Ghana for ten years, with a planned capital expenditure of $145 million over three years.

Ghana’s Minister for Communications and Digitalization, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, stated that NGIC aims to provide affordable mobile broadband services and devices to Ghanaians, emulating India’s low-cost mobile data success.

Singh clarified that none of the strategic partners, including Reliance, currently hold equity in NGIC. “We need to demonstrate our success and the value we create before they invest,” he explained.