MTN Ghana’s massive profits contrast with poor service, high data prices, and network issues. Ghanaians deserve better competition, transparency, and accountability from telecom giants and regulators
MTN Ghana has just released its 2024 financial results, and the numbers are staggering:
- GH¢17.9 billion in service revenue
- GH¢9.0 billion from data alone
- GH¢5.0 billion in profit after tax
- GH¢4.0 billion in dividends, an eye-watering 80% of profits paid to shareholders
And let’s not forget the 53.8% surge in data revenue and 54.4% jump in MoMo profits. By all accounts, the telecom giant is cashing in, celebrating with champagne in one hand and your vanishing data in the other. But while shareholders toast their success, ordinary Ghanaians are left battling poor network quality, dropped calls, and mysteriously disappearing data bundles.
Imagine you’re a hardworking Ghanaian who depends on reliable internet and calls, whether for business, staying in touch with family, or catching up with a side chick. Instead, you’re stuck with a telco whose data depletes faster than a December salary and whose customer service is as responsive as a landline in 1999. Last year, MTN Ghana apologized after widespread connectivity issues left subscribers stranded. Fast forward to 2025, and little has changed. Complaints flood social media daily:
- “You load GHS 50 worth of data, and before you finish checking your email, it’s gone. How?”
- “MTN’s customer care is a ghost town. You call, and they pass you around like a political promise.”
Yet, despite these frustrations, GH¢5 billion in profits. The disconnect is glaring.
Why the Disconnect?
Worse still, Ghanaians have no real alternative. MTN controls over 70% of mobile subscriptions in Ghana. In a properly regulated market, such dominance would trigger competition laws. Here, it seems to trigger quarterly bonus celebrations. Near-monopolies breed complacency. With little real competition, there’s no incentive to improve, no urgency to care. Customers are left stranded in a system where profit reigns, and service is an afterthought.
Holding Telcos Accountable
It’s time to hold telcos accountable, not just with social media outrage but in the courtroom. Here’s what Ghanaians deserve answers for:
- Why are Ghana’s data prices among the highest in West Africa, despite ongoing infrastructure upgrades?
- Why does customer service remain a national joke?
- Why hasn’t the National Communications Authority(NCA) imposed stricter sanctions for poor service?
If telcos refuse to fix these issues voluntarily, perhaps the law should force them to. It’s time to break the cycle. Ghanaians need more telcos that aren’t sleeping giants. We need competition that makes MTN and others sit up, sweat a little, and finally treat customers like humans, not just SIM cards with legs.
The Case for Real Competition
Imagine a Ghana where telcos compete for your business, not because they want to, but because they have to. Better bundles, more transparency, real customer support… It’s not a fantasy. It’s what should happen when the market works for the people.
MTN Ghana is, by all financial measures, a successful company. But success without accountability breeds arrogance. And arrogance in a critical service sector like telecom is a recipe for national frustration.
We’re not asking for much. Just reliable service. Transparent pricing. Functional customer care. And maybe, just maybe, a stable network that works 24/7.
Regulatory Impact: The NCA’s Role
MTN Ghana’s data prices aren’t just high because they feel like it; they’re high because they have to be. The National Communications Authority (NCA) has made sure of that. Back in June 2020, the regulator slapped MTN with the “Significant Market Power” (SMP) tag, essentially branding them too big for their own good. With over 75% of the telecom market under their control, voice, data, mobile money, you name it, the NCA decided MTN needed to be reined in.
And how did they do it? By putting a leash on their pricing. MTN isn’t allowed to have the cheapest data bundles in town. In fact, they’re legally required to price their services above their competitors. That means even if MTN wanted to slash prices and give customers a break, they can’t. The NCA’s rules dictate that their rates should always stay within a certain range, no lower than the competition and no more than 10% higher than the most expensive non-SMP provider.
So, when you’re wondering why your data is burning like fuel in an old trotro, just remember, it’s not just MTN setting the price. It’s the government making sure they don’t get too competitive. The irony? These rules were meant to create a fair market, to help the smaller telcos catch up. But instead of sparking a price war, they’ve left MTN customers paying premium rates without getting premium service.
The Real Issue: Service vs. Profits
And the quality? Let’s not even start. MTN may be the biggest, but that hasn’t stopped the daily complaints about network outages, slow speeds, and bundles that vanish into thin air. People aren’t just frustrated with MTN’s dominance, they’re frustrated that despite all the billions they rake in (GH¢9.0 billion from data alone last year), the service still feels like a dial-up connection from 2003.
At this point, the real question isn’t just about high prices. It’s about value. If we’re going to pay top-tier rates because the regulator insists on it, then MTN (and every other telco) should be forced to match that with top-tier service. Because right now, it feels like Ghanaians are paying champagne prices for sachet water internet.
The Nature of Work and Data Reliance
In Ghana today, data is more than just an asset; it is a necessity that powers daily life. From remote work and online schooling to business operations and digital transactions, internet connectivity has become indispensable. The growing reliance on digital platforms for communication, education, and commerce means that access to reliable and affordable data is a pressing concern for many Ghanaians.
However, beyond affordability, the major concerns for users revolve around the quality of data services. Factors such as network stability, speed, and overall service availability are at the heart of consumer dissatisfaction. Many users experience inconsistent connectivity, slow internet speeds, and network downtimes, which disrupt productivity and limit opportunities. As Ghana’s digital economy continues to expand, ensuring stable and high-quality internet services is just as crucial as making data affordable.
Time for Change
The time for complaining is over. Ghanaians deserve more than the crumbs they’ve been fed. MTN’s monopoly on the market has created an environment where service is secondary to profits.
Now, more than ever, it’s time for accountability, whether through regulation, competition, or legal action. We’ve been patient long enough. It’s time to demand service that matches the price we pay.
If we’re going to pay top-tier prices, it’s time MTN, and all the telcos, deliver the service that matches.
So0urce: thehighstreetjournal.com