The Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation in Ghana has proudly announced the inauguration of a bilateral ECOWAS Free Roaming initiative that will encompass Ghana and its neighboring countries, Togo and Benin. This development is a continuation of the successful establishment of the ECOWAS Roaming Initiative that was previously set up between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.
The announcement comes on the heels of an agreement reached in April 2024 between Benin and Ghana, which was formalized through a memorandum of understanding signed by Benin’s Electronic Communications and Postal Regulatory Authority (ARCEP) and Ghana’s National Communications Authority (NCA). ARCEP confirmed that the agreed-upon memorandum was scheduled to be implemented starting July 1, 2024. The Free Roaming Initiative is designed to benefit the citizens of the participating countries by allowing them to use their mobile services across borders without being subject to international roaming fees.
The Ministry emphasized the significance of the ECOWAS Roaming Initiative in fortifying Ghana’s ties with Togo and Benin. The initiative is seen as a breakthrough in eliminating barriers to communication, business, and social interactions across borders. The Ministry highlighted the convenience and cost savings the initiative will bring, stating, “This initiative will allow our citizens to stay connected seamlessly, without the burden of high roaming charges or the inconvenience of multiple SIMs.”
In addition to promoting seamless connectivity, the agreement includes a provision that eliminates extra fees, offering substantial cost savings for travelers during the first 30 days of their visit to the partner countries. The successful launch of the initiative is attributed to the collaborative efforts of the Implementation Committees from Ghana, Benin, and Togo, along with the leadership of Ghana’s NCA and ARCEP Benin, all of whom have been acknowledged for their significant contributions.
Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) from the three countries have also been commended for their cooperation and have expressed their commitment to ensuring the success of the initiative. Looking ahead, by June 2024, regulatory bodies from Liberia and Ghana initiated discussions to explore the possibility of a free roaming arrangement between their countries. This dialogue marks the preliminary steps towards a system that would enable mobile phone users to be charged local rates while traveling between the two nations, further expanding the reach and benefits of the ECOWAS Free Roaming initiative.
