|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Claim: The Minority in Parliament alleges that the government has secretly sold AT Ghana (formerly AirtelTigo) to Telecel Ghana, bypassing parliamentary approval and concealing key financial details.
Verdict: Misleading! Available evidence from official government statements, the National Communications Authority (NCA), and Telecel Ghana indicates that the arrangement is currently being managed as a state-directed restructuring, rather than a completed sale or takeover. However, the government has not disclosed all financial terms or future ownership plans, leaving legitimate transparency concerns.
Full Text
In mid-October 2025, opposition lawmakers alleged that the Ministry of Communications had secretly sold AT Ghana to Telecel Ghana under the guise of a merger. They demanded that all documents — including the KPMG advisory report and related correspondence — be submitted to Parliament for scrutiny.
AT Ghana, previously co-owned by Airtel and Millicom, reverted to full government ownership in 2021 after both companies exited the market. Since then, the company has operated at a loss, prompting the state to seek a private partnership to sustain operations.
DUBAWA decided to fact-check this claim because the Minority’s allegations about a secret Telecel–AT Ghana takeover raised public concerns about transparency, state assets, and potential misuse of public funds in a major telecommunications restructuring — issues central to accountability and informed democratic debate.
Verification
1. The Ministry’s Position – A “Restructuring,” Not a Sale
On Sept. 4, 2025, the Ministry of Communications, Digital Technology & Innovation announced through the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) that AT Ghana would be restructured through an operational partnership with Telecel Ghana “to build a stronger, more competitive, and financially sustainable operator.”
At an AT Ghana staff meeting, Minister Samuel Nartey George assured employees that “every single employee will be absorbed.” He confirmed that AT Ghana had lost US$10 million between January and August 2025, and that continuing to fund it through public coffers was unsustainable.
He projected a US$600 million investment requirement over four years, to come partly from spectrum sales and partner capital.
However, in a press briefing on Sept 5, he clarified, “This is not a merger; it is also not an acquisition. We are dealing with a force majeure situation.”
This language frames the move as a regulatory intervention — not a commercial sale.
2. NCA Oversight and Interim National Roaming
In August 2025, ATC Ghana, a tower company, disconnected AT Ghana’s cell sites over unpaid debts. To prevent a national outage, the NCA directed Telecel Ghana to provide roaming access for AT Ghana’s 3.2 million subscribers.
According to NCA subscriber data (July 2025):
- MTN Ghana: 30.17 million subscribers (≈74%)
- Telecel Ghana: 7.50 million (≈18%)
- AT Ghana: 3.17 million (≈8%)
If combined, AT + Telecel would control about 25–26% of Ghana’s market share, which is well below MTN’s dominance, contradicting claims that Telecel is monopolising the market.
3. Telecel’s Official Response
In an October 16, 2025, statement, Telecel Ghana rejected claims of a takeover, explaining that:
“Our involvement in AT Ghana’s operations was purely in response to an NCA directive following the disconnection of AT sites by ATC Ghana due to unpaid debts.”
Telecel added that it:
- Has invested over US$240 million in Ghana since acquiring Vodafone Ghana in 2023,
- Is profitable and “has posted a year-to-date net profit of multiple hundreds of millions of Ghana cedis,” and
- Has not laid off staff — “none of the over 600 employees have been made redundant.”
These statements affirm Telecel’s role as a regulatory support partner, not a buyer.
4. KPMG Appointed as Transaction Advisor
At the same September briefing, Minister George confirmed that KPMG had been appointed as transaction advisor with a 60-day mandate to:
- Review AT Ghana’s debts and liabilities,
- Evaluate the government’s 30% equity stake in Telecel, and
- Advise Cabinet on recapitalisation and restructuring options.
KPMG’s report is expected by early November 2025. This means the process remains ongoing — not finalised.
5. Parliamentary Oversight Still Pending
As of 22 October 2025, Hansard records and official committee minutes have not been published. Under Ghana’s Constitution, any alteration of ownership involving state assets must receive Parliamentary approval, so the Minority’s request aligns with due process. However, there is no record indicating that such approval was bypassed.
Supporting Data (Official Sources)
| Indicator | Figure / Source |
| AT Ghana losses (Jan–Aug 2025) | ≈US$10 million (Ministry) |
| Projected investment required | ≈US$600 million (Ministry) |
| Telecel investment since 2023 | >US$240 million (Telecel statement) |
| Government stake in Telecel Ghana | 30% (MoCDI, 2023) |
| KPMG advisory period | 60 days (Sept–Nov 2025) |
| AT Ghana staff absorbed | 300 (no layoffs) |
Conclusion
DUBAWA’s verification of statements from the Ministry of Communications, Telecel Ghana, and the NCA confirms that there is no completed sale or transfer of ownership between AT Ghana and Telecel Ghana at this stage. The ongoing process is a temporary, regulator-led restructuring aimed at stabilising AT’s operations.
However, the government has not disclosed full transaction details, including AT’s debt valuation and KPMG’s recommendations, leaving gaps in public accountability. Until these are made public, claims of a “sale” remain unsupported.
