- Ghana's plan to embrace 5G technology presents exciting opportunities
- It relies heavily on a consistent electricity supply.
- The ACDT emphasizes the need to address these issues
Ghana’s plan to embrace 5G technology presents exciting opportunities, but the Africa Centre for Digital Transformation (ACDT) warns of a critical challenge: the country’s ongoing power crisis.
While 5G promises faster speeds and innovative applications, it relies heavily on a consistent electricity supply.
ACDT highlights that more cell towers are needed for 5G compared to older networks, and these require reliable backup power during outages.
Current power cuts, caused by infrastructure limitations and imbalances, threaten to disrupt 5G functionality. This could lead to slower speeds, dropped calls, and impact various sectors like healthcare and manufacturing.
The ACDT urges policymakers and industry leaders to prioritize strengthening Ghana’s digital public infrastructure (DPI) to unlock 5G’s potential. Key areas for focus include:
- Upgrading and expanding electricity infrastructure to decrease outages and improve reliability.
- Investing in renewable energy sources like solar and wind to supplement traditional hydropower.
- Boosting the resilience of the power grid.
- Enhancing backup power systems for the 5G network through advanced batteries and efficient generators.
- Expanding high-speed broadband access to underserved areas.
The ACDT emphasizes the need to address these issues before 5G rollout to avoid potential pitfalls.
They call for collaboration between government agencies, private sector, and the public to overcome the power crisis and unlock the transformative potential of 5G for Ghana’s sustainable development.
