Sam George, Ghana’s Minister Of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, is widely reported to have set what is described as a firm deadline of June 2025 for the Next Generation Infrastructure Company (NGIC) to launch 5G services in the West African country. But will it be met?

Ghana’s government announced in August 2023 that it did not plan to auction 5G spectrum but would establish NGIC, a « neutral shared infrastructure company », to deliver nationwide 4G and 5G services.

In November 2024, NGIC announced its readiness to collaborate with operators and internet service providers (ISPs) to launch 5G services. It apparently claimed  that operators MTN Ghana, Airtel Ghana and Telecel would roll out the services to their customers before the end of 2024 in the cities of Accra, Kumasi and Takoradi.  

However, the rollout deadlines have been repeatedly postponed. In January 2025 we reported that Sam George’s predecessor, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, said that deploying 5G services depended on operators purchasing the necessary capacity and providing it to their customers. This does not appear to have happened.

A May deadline to deliver 5G services is not going to be met. Sam George has said that if a new deadline of June 2025 is missed, renegotiations will be on the table. At the moment NGIC has an exclusive right to offer 5G services in Ghana for a decade.

It’s hard to tell why this has happened. While operators may have been slow to sign up, there don’t appear to be a lot of sites available yet. News services say NGIC boasts 16 5G-ready cell sites, with its core network successfully inspected by the National Communications Authority (NCA). However, according to George, NGIC has promised 350 cell sites by June this year, 50 of them 5G-capable, with 200-250 sites focused on Accra and 100-150 sites in Kumasi.

Even if this target is met, 5G demand is not guaranteed. Many sources quote market research company Omdia, which estimates that 8.2 million of MTN Ghana’s 29 million subscribers were on 4G at the end of the fourth quarter of 2024 but only 445,000 subscribers of Telecel Ghana’s almost 6.5 million subscribers were on 4G in the same period. Many other subscribers are still using 3G.

This Industry Viewpoint was authored by Jamie Dobson, founder of Container Solutions and author of ‘The Cloud Native Attitude’

While the telecoms sector can’t know when it will need to deal with curve balls such as the next pandemic, one thing is sure – new technology needs to be watched closely. AI is never far from the headlines, triggering both concern and excitement; some fear for the future of the human workforce while others see a bright future where we’re all prompt engineers. But are we getting caught up in the hype, or are we failing to see the bigger picture? … [visit site to read more]

Payment and connectivity services company IDEMIA Secure Transactions (IST) and National Payment Corporation of Vietnam (NAPAS) have announced a strategic partnership to boost the digital payment landscape in Vietnam.

The Vietnamese domestic scheme will integrate IST’s Token Platform into its extensive network reaching over 40 banks, and empowering the Vietnamese payment community with a more streamlined and user-friendly payment experience. With its newly acquired digital capabilities, says IST, NAPAS will be able to meet the rising demand from the Vietnamese population for contactless and digital payments.

IST points out that a large portion of Vietnam’s population is under 35 years old and possesses multiple smartphones. As more consumers in this demographic pivot towards digital services, there is, says IST, a critical need for modern, secure, and convenient payment options that align with their expectations across the Asia Pacific region.

The IST Token Platform empowers payment networks to seamlessly transition their affiliated issuers to digital payment solutions. It securely replaces sensitive card information with a unique identifier, or token, that can be used for transactions without exposing actual card details.

The agnostic Token Platform caters to a wide range of use cases, including mobile NFC payments, in-app purchases, and remote and peer-to-peer transactions. IST’s solution can be easily integrated through a set of APIs, facilitating communication with various stakeholders in the digital payment ecosystem: token requestors (merchants using card-on-file methods), global xPay wallets, and participating issuers.

Through this partnership, says IST, NAPAS will be able to offer in-store payments via smartphone, using the bank’s mobile wallet for Android smartphones and Apple Pay for iOS devices. Furthermore, the Vietnamese community will be able to make e-commerce purchases using in-app payments.

IST adds that this new, modern way to pay eliminates the need for QR codes or cash, boosting contactless payments and making the experience more convenient and secure for end-users.

Unitel has expanded its mobile network in the municipality of Cachingues to enhance voice and data services delivered over its 3G and 4G infrastructure.

The upgrade was implemented in Bié province, and the operator emphasised that this is just one part of a wider network development strategy, with further deployments planned beyond the area.

According to Unitel, its 2G network now reaches 100% of Angola’s 164 municipalities and 54.7% of its communes. Meanwhile, 3G coverage extends to 96.3% of municipalities and 47.1% of communes.

The company’s 4G service, which delivers faster speeds and improved communication quality, is available in 80.5% of municipalities and 35.9% of communes. However, 5G coverage remains limited, currently reaching just 6.7% of municipalities and 2.8% of communes.

Unitel stated that its ongoing priority is to raise service quality, deliver superior customer experiences, and further strengthen its leadership position in Angola’s telecommunications market.

The global smartphone market recorded just 1% growth year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025, with persistent macroeconomic pressures continuing to weigh on consumer demand, according to analyst firm Canalys.

Samsung led the market with a 20% share, followed by Apple at 18%. Xiaomi held onto third place with 14%, maintaining its spot among the top three vendors. Chinese manufacturers vivo and Oppo rounded out the top five, each claiming 8% of the market.

Amber Liu, Research Manager at Canalys, described the market as “more volatile than anticipated” in the first quarter, despite expectations of continued recovery.

“Vendors entered 2025 with momentum after a strong end to 2024, pushing large volumes of stock into the channel in an effort to capture market share. However, slower-than-expected sales at the consumer level have led to extended inventory cycles and weakened momentum in early 2025,” Liu explained. “Unlike last year’s rebound, which was driven by post-pandemic upgrades and affordable mass-market devices, this year’s recovery appears much more fragile.”

Liu also warned of further headwinds for vendors due to planned tariff increases by the US government.

“In the US, major players like Apple, Samsung and Lenovo are already facing sluggish domestic demand, and the threat of rising operational costs due to upcoming tariffs,” she said. “Apple responded by advancing its Q2 shipments into early April to stay ahead of potential cost increases.”

Globally, the full extent and timing of the new tariffs remain unclear, but manufacturers are bracing for increased component costs and weaker export demand in key markets.

In response, Liu said vendors and supply chain partners are ramping up efforts to diversify their operations – shifting manufacturing hubs, revisiting sourcing strategies, and refining logistics processes.

“These shifts are likely to pressure margins and extend decision-making timelines across the global smartphone industry throughout 2025,” she concluded.

A bit of data center M&A, two expansion projects, an upgrade, and some R&D news: … [visit site to read more]

Another initiative relevant to MEA mobile finance has been launched. This time global digital payments and commerce platform PayPal has announced a strategic partnership with TerraPay, a global money movement company, to enable real-time fund transfers for PayPal customers across the Middle East and Africa (MEA).

This partnership, say the companies, aims to drive economic growth by making cross-border transactions faster, easy to use and more accessible by connecting banks, mobile wallets and financial institutions.

Quoting market research company Mordor Intelligence, TerraPay says that the MENA digital payments market is estimated at US$251.34 billion in 2025, and is expected to reach US$422.56 billion by 2030.

It points out that with rising demand for fast, secure and efficient payment solutions, this partnership bridges key gaps in financial connectivity and infrastructure readiness, enabling millions of individuals and businesses to engage more fully in the global economy.

Through secure PayPal account linking, TerraPay says it will serve as an enabler, allowing mobile wallet and bank users across the Middle East and Africa to seamlessly transfer funds to their PayPal accounts.

This collaboration will provide enhanced accessibility for customers by facilitating secure account linking and seamless fund transfers from mobile wallets and bank accounts with PayPal.

TerraPay says it will also enable expanded financial connectivity, empowering millions of customers to transact internationally with ease, and greater financial inclusion, enabling businesses and individuals to participate more effectively in the global digital economy.

Ani Sane, Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer at TerraPay, says: « This partnership with PayPal marks a major milestone in expanding financial access across the Middle East and Africa, where our strong global infrastructure helps overcome the limitations of traditional banking. With built-in interoperability, TerraPay connects various financial systems, from banks to mobile wallets, making it easier for businesses to scale and users to transact seamlessly on a global scale. »

There was some interesting metro fiber M&A this week along the eastern seaboard of the US. Fiberlight has found a means to expand its footprint in Virginia, signing a definitive agreement to acquire Metro Fiber Networks. … [visit site to read more]

Globe Telecom has moved forward with its acquisition of a 50% stake in AB Capital Securities Inc (ABCSI), aiming to strengthen the stock brokerage capabilities of its fintech unit, Mynt, which operates the widely used GCash mobile wallet.

According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the companies signed a definitive agreement for the acquisition in 2023.

Globe currently holds a 23.5% indirect stake in ABCSI through Mynt. It increased its shareholding in the brokerage firm to 16% last year after acquiring an additional 7.5%.

Notably, Globe independent director Antonio Periquet also serves as executive chair of ABCSI, a connection that could smooth the path for the acquisition.

“This partnership will bolster our shared mission of promoting financial inclusion by expanding stock ownership among Filipinos,” Periquet told the Inquirer.

He pointed out that while only 2% of Filipinos currently own stocks, a higher percentage already hold cryptocurrency –  highlighting the opportunity for growth in retail investment.

The Inquirer also reported that the Philippine Stock Exchange credited GCash’s stock trading service with helping drive a 21% year-on-year increase in online stock market accounts in 2023, rising to 1.5 million, now accounting for 80% of total stock market accounts.