Reliance Ventures into Africa’s Telecom Sector with 5G Partnership in Ghana

Reliance Industries Joins Forces with NGIC to Roll Out 5G Services, Aiming for Success Similar to Jio’s Indian Market Dominance

Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), the conglomerate behind the telecommunications giant Jio, is expanding its influence into Africa. Partnering with Ghana-based Next-Gen InfraCo (NGIC), RIL plans to launch high-speed 5G internet services in Ghana, leveraging the success and strategies that made Jio a dominant force in the Indian market.

NGIC has secured hardware and software support from Radisys Corp, a subsidiary of RIL, to facilitate the 5G rollout. According to NGIC executive director Harkirat Singh, the collaboration aims to provide the necessary smartphones, applications, and key network infrastructure for Ghana’s burgeoning telecommunications sector.

NGIC plans to replicate the growth model of Jio, which launched in India in 2016 and quickly became a market leader through aggressive marketing strategies, including low-cost data services and free voice calling. Jio’s rapid ascent led to significant market consolidation in India, with many telecom players exiting and major providers Vodafone India and Idea merging to stay competitive. Today, Jio boasts 470 million subscribers, far outpacing its rivals Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea.

Scheduled to begin operations by the end of 2024, NGIC has yet to disclose its pricing strategy. However, Ghana’s Minister for Communications and Digitalization, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has assured that NGIC will offer “affordable mobile broadband services and devices,” aiming to replicate the low-cost mobile data revolution seen in India.