• Ghana approved a nationwide “Dig Once Policy” that mandates fiber-optic conduits and access chambers in all new road projects.
• Road and construction activities caused 60% of Ghana’s fiber cuts, including 10,832 outages in 2023–24, costing 138 million cedis in 2024 alone.
• Telecom operators expect the new policy to cut deployment costs, accelerate rollout, and reduce accidental damage to critical digital infrastructure.

The Ghanaian government has approved a national policy that integrates fiber-optic conduits and access chambers into all new road-construction projects. Authorities frame the measure as a way to accelerate fiber deployment, while industry players primarily see it as a tool to curb frequent damage caused by road works.

Local media reported that Communications, Digital Technologies and Innovation Minister Samuel Nartey George disclosed the initiative during a high-level session at the Africa Tech Festival in Cape Town, South Africa, held from 11 to 13 November.

“The contractors will now build chambers for fiber along the roads, which eliminates the cost of digging for telecom operators. This will make network rollout faster, cheaper and more sustainable, allowing operators to reinvest in expanding connectivity,” the minister said, according to GhanaWeb.

By embedding cables in protected conduits and standardized access chambers directly within new roads, Ghana reduces the exposure of fiber to heavy machinery in vulnerable zones. The government plans to bury the cables at standardized depths in reinforced structures to limit unauthorized handling and accidental cuts during roadworks.

Clear identification of access chambers will help authorities better control technical interventions, which will reduce risks of sabotage, theft or unintentional damage to networks.

The new Dig Once Policy follows sustained advocacy from the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications (GCT) and its members. Technical data from the Chamber shows that road and construction activities cause about 60% of Ghana’s fiber cuts. The country recorded 10,832 fiber cuts in 2023 and 2024.

In 2024, these incidents generated 138 million cedis in losses (about $12.5 million), excluding the impact of national network outages and consumer service disruptions.

Beyond the Dig Once Policy, the GCT has proposed other measures to safeguard Ghana’s fiber infrastructure. These include a dedicated law protecting national fiber-optic networks, the creation of utility-management units in road agencies, and a strict permit regime for any excavation work. The organization also calls for stronger coordination among all actors to prevent recurring and costly cuts.

This article was initially published in French by Isaac K. Kassouwi

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum