AT Ghana Not Merging with Telecel – Sam George Clarifies Amid Debt Crisis

The Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has dismissed claims that the ongoing collaboration between AT Ghana and Telecel amounts to a merger or acquisition.

Addressing the media in Accra on Friday, September 5, 2025, Mr. George explained that the arrangement is a temporary regulatory intervention to safeguard consumers after AT Ghana’s debt crisis with tower operator ATC Ghana.

He revealed that the issue began in 2020 when AT defaulted on recurring charges, leading to debts that by September 1, 2025, had soared above US$150 million. ATC Ghana subsequently disconnected power to AT’s sites nationwide, threatening a total blackout for over three million subscribers.

To prevent a collapse of services, the National Communications Authority (NCA) instructed AT Ghana and Telecel to establish a national roaming agreement. This allowed AT’s customers to continue accessing voice, data, SMS, and mobile money services through Telecel’s network.

“What is happening is not a merger and neither is it an acquisition,” Mr. George emphasized. He urged stakeholders, including subscribers, tower firms, suppliers, and creditors, to await the outcome of a transaction advisor’s assessment, which will clarify outstanding debts and AT Ghana’s future.

He praised the technical teams of both companies for their swift integration, describing it as proof of Ghanaian engineers’ competence, though he cautioned that minor service disruptions may occur during the transition.

On the company’s future, Mr. George disclosed that government has appointed KPMG as transaction advisor with a 60-day mandate to propose solutions for stabilizing Ghana’s telecom sector. The advisor will also review government’s shareholding in Telecel.

He assured that AT Ghana’s 300 permanent employees will retain their jobs, while the fate of more than 200 contract staff remains under review.