Ghana launched the ambitious and promising Rural Telephony and Digital Inclusion Project (GRT&DIP) in 2020 to extend mobile voice and data to its most isolated villages.
In partnership with Huawei and financed by a €155 million China EXIM Bank loan, the plan was to build about 2,016 low-cost RuralStar towers across the country. These solar-powered mini-towers cost roughly 50–60% less than traditional masts, making rural coverage economically viable
Originally slated for completion in 2021, the project aimed to raise national mobile coverage from about 83% to 95%, reaching roughly 3–4 million people in underserved areas. Villages in regions like Ashanti, Ahafo and Bono were earmarked for these sites; in fact, the first RuralStar tower went live in November 2020 in the Ashanti region. However, reality has lagged behind the promise.
HALF-BUILT REALITY
As of early 2024, only about half the planned towers were even completed and far fewer were active. Official figures reported that 1,010 of the 2,016 sites had been constructed, but only 618 of those were operational, meaning barely 30% of all planned towers actually serve users. These 618 live towers cover roughly 1,620 rural communities so far, leaving hundreds of villages still unserved. The government has said it will build the remaining 1,006 sites by the end of 2024, but until now many areas remain in the dark. This shortfall is striking; the scheme was meant to connect about 4 million people, yet millions of Ghanaians especially in the middle-belt and northern belt still lack basic mobile access.
Numerous reports have acknowledged the delays. In mid-2022, the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) noted that COVID-19 lockdowns and supply-chain disruptions had slowed tower deployment, forcing the completion date to slip beyond 2022. Prices of steel and equipment soared and there were funding holdups that hampered progress. Even today, with 40% of the population still unconnected, the rural network remains a work in progress. The COVID outbreak and its fallout were certainly factors, but so is the sheer challenge of building in low-density areas as Ghana’s planning documents notes that long distances, rough terrain and small village populations make such projects commercially unattractive to network operators.
IMPACT ON RURAL COMMUNITIES
The incomplete rollout has real consequences for villages awaiting service. For Ghana’s rural residents, mobile connectivity is transformative, enabling education, finance, healthcare and commerce yet many are still cut off. Before any towers went up, teachers and health workers often refused postings to far-off villages for lack of internet or calls. As the then Communications Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful observed, basic schools and healthcare suffered without connectivity. In communities that have received coverage, the gains have been tangible;People in those communities can now make calls and use data services, thereby enhancing social and economic activities. For example, students can access online lessons (remote learning), adults can use mobile banking, and farmers can check market prices.
Key benefits of rural coverage include:
● Financial Inclusion: Mobile money and banking can penetrate deep into villages once a tower is there. As Ursula Owusu-Ekuful put it, “the benefits of connectivity go beyond students… you should take advantage of services such as mobile money and e-commerce, explore new business opportunities and boost your businesses”. In practice, this means millions of Ghanaians can now send /receive payments, pay bills or get loans via phone ; tools critical to lifting rural living standards.
● Agriculture & Commerce: Farmers can instantly get weather and price data. Small businesses (markets, craftsmen, transporters) can advertise and transact online. Connected villages spawn new jobs in retail, transport and ICT. Entrepreneurs can reach customers beyond the village. The unserved villages stand to bring similar demand if the rollout is facilitated and completed.
● Social and Civic Participation: Connectivity enables rural citizens to access e-government services (digital IDs, permits, information portals) and participate in governance. In the COVID era, it even meant people could stay informed and order essentials online. In essence, every new tower is a lifeline out of isolation; enhancing incomes, education and health in tandem.
Yet because far too many towers have not been built, countless communities are still missing out on these benefits. Millions of people are left at the end of the digital divide, unable to apply for jobs, learn from afar or fully participate in Ghana’s economy. The disparity is stark; urban areas now enjoy 80% internet use and widespread 3G/4G, whereas many rural districts barely reach half of that. blogs.worldbank.org.
Mobile money penetration is similarly uneven around 72% in cities as against 47% in the countryside. Completing the rural network would immediately close much of this gap. Research shows broadband expansion and smartphone access strongly drive income growth and poverty reduction in agrarian economies, but the unfinished towers stand as a clear bottleneck.
In April 2024, the Communications Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful announced that 618 towers now serve 1,620 communities, but “the Ministry will build the remaining 1,006 sites, integrate and activate them this year” yet the year 2024 is now history. International forums also highlight Ghana’s digital divide; at the Africa Tech Festival 2025, the current Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, warned that even built networks are useless if rural people cannot afford data. This echoes concerns that unless new coverage is paired with affordable service and training, the poorest Ghanaians will still lag.
A CALL TO ACTION: BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
Ghana’s remaining work is clear, finish what was started. The next steps should include;
● Complete and Activate the Towers: The government in power possibly with development partners and initial funders must finance the final 1,000 towers without considering the fact that they didn’t start the project. These sites are concrete assets hence constructing them now brings a multi-million-user market on line. Every new tower delivers hundreds or thousands of customers. If we heed previous estimates, finishing this network could immediately connect up to 2 million citizens who currently lack service. For investors, that’s an enormous new subscriber base waiting.
Encourage Local Solutions: Not all coverage requires a big tower. Where villages are very small or scattered, community networks or alternative tech can help. Ghana’s typical experience with the K-Net/Altobridge solar mobile systems shows that local wireless networks can be rapidly deployed and well-used by villagers. Supporting such local entrepreneurs through grants, spectrum allocation or hardware subsidies can complement the tower rollout. Every digital connection, even if via small satellite dishes or mesh routers, pushes villages closer to the 95% internet access goal.
● Make Access Affordable: Finally, infrastructure alone won’t close the divide if rural people can’t afford data. As the current minister Ahmed Ibrahim warned, “using urban pricing in poor areas means you have lost the plot”. Solutions include subsidized rural data plans, zero-rated educational sites, or national roaming agreements like the ECOWAS roaming deal in 2023 is a start. Coupling the towers with aggressive digital literacy and entrepreneurship training will ensure villagers actually use the network.
Bridging Ghana’s digital divide is no longer optional; it’s urgent. Completing the rural telephony project would not only fulfill a pledge to Ghana’s citizens but also unlock real economic potential. Rural connectivity powers schools, clinics, farms and small businesses, feeding directly into national growth. For investors, it means millions of new customers and countless untapped resources. For policymakers, it means meeting Sustainable Development goals of inclusion and opportunity for all. The facts are clear and the blueprints are largely drawn, now is the time to finish.
But let’s be real, will this project become an unfulfilled history because there has been a change of government? Will it become one of those necessary but abandoned projects? or will it be fulfilled?
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