The Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation has stepped in to protect millions of AirtelTigo (AT) subscribers after ongoing disputes over unpaid debts led to widespread service disruptions.
Addressing a press conference on September 5, 2025, sector minister Sam George revealed that AT Ghana’s debt to ATC Ghana, the tower infrastructure company, now exceeds $150 million, forcing ATC to disconnect power to AT’s telecom sites.
“Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen,” Sam George began, acknowledging executives from Telecel, AT Ghana, the NCA, and other stakeholders present.
“We are here today to address two very important matters currently engaging the attention of the Ministry and the regulator, the NCA. These issues go to the heart of consumer protection, fairness, and the sustainability of our digital and communications ecosystem.”
He explained that the conflict between AT and ATC has persisted since 2020. “By a letter dated 2nd June 2020, ATC notified the NCA of its intention to suspend electrical power supply to then-Airtel Ghana Limited sites,” Sam George recalled.
“The NCA intervened at the time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Several meetings were held in an attempt to ensure AT honoured its monthly charges and settled the legacy debt. Unfortunately, these efforts were unsuccessful, and the debt has continued to accumulate.”
The minister confirmed that emergency measures have now been rolled out to prevent a nationwide outage. The National Communications Authority (NCA) has directed AT and Telecel to implement national roaming, ensuring AT subscribers can continue to access voice, SMS, data, and AT Money services without interruption.
Sam George assured the public that the government remains committed to protecting subscribers, employees, and the broader telecom ecosystem. “This briefing is to provide clarity on the interventions taken, the decisions reached, and the way forward,” he emphasized.
The ministry also announced that KPMG has been appointed as a transaction advisor to conduct a 60-day review of AT’s financial position and propose a restructuring strategy to stabilize the company and safeguard competition in the telecom sector.
