According to industry reports, Benin and Ghana have agreed to introduce free roaming to lower communication expenses for citizens travelling between the two countries. Last week, Benin’s Electronic Communications and Postal Regulatory Authority (ARCEP) and Ghana’s National Communications Authority (NCA) signed a memorandum of understanding in Cotonou.
The memorandum is scheduled to come into effect on July 1, 2024, with the aim of significantly reducing roaming tariffs for Beninese and Ghanaian consumers. This move aligns with the ECOWAS regulations on roaming within the Community, which were established in Praia, Cape Verde, in October 2017. However, challenges such as the absence of direct links between telecom operators, high call termination rates, and fraud have led to delays in its implementation.
In June 2023, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire became the first ECOWAS countries to implement community roaming. Following suit, other countries in the region, such as Togo and Niger, have initiated talks expected to lead to similar agreements in the near future.
Community roaming is expected to enhance communications and support ECOWAS’s objective of using telecommunications to promote economic integration. This initiative is anticipated to facilitate the implementation of the protocol on the free movement of people, goods, and services, thereby promoting active citizen participation in regional economic activities.
