Fibre cuts cost Ghana more than US$20m in repairs

Ghana has experienced a significant number of fibre-optic cable cuts in 2026, totaling 8,578 incidents, which have resulted in repair costs exceeding US$20 million, according to Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations Minister Samuel Nartey George. The minister revealed that road construction, as part of the government's Big Push programme, was responsible for approximately 49% of the fibre cuts, accounting for the majority of the damage.

Illegal mining accounted for roughly 25% of the recorded cuts. These frequent damages to fibre-optic cables have led to disruptions in telecommunications services and placed a heavy financial burden on network operators, who are forced to allocate resources towards repairing the infrastructure instead of expanding their network coverage.

The minister emphasized that the money spent on repairs could have been utilized by telecommunications companies to enhance their network capabilities and invest in new infrastructure, ultimately benefiting the country's digital economy. As Ghana continues to expand its digital infrastructure and relies more heavily on reliable internet and telecommunications services, the issue of fibre cuts has become increasingly concerning.

The government has emphasized the need for better coordination during road construction and other development projects to safeguard existing fibre infrastructure. Addressing the issue of fibre cuts would not only ensure the continuity of reliable communication services but also protect investments in Ghana's digital infrastructure and facilitate the expansion of connectivity across the nation.