ECOWAS MOVES TO END ROAMING CHARGES, DRIVES BORDERLESS MOBILE CONNECTIVITY IN WEST AFRICA. By Raymond Enoch

In a bold move to eliminate one of the most persistent cost barriers to regional integration, the ECOWAS Commission has intensified efforts to fully implement its landmark roaming regulation — a framework designed to make cross-border mobile communication cheaper, seamless and consumer-friendly across West Africa.

At a strategic three-day validation workshop held in Accra, Ghana, from February 3 to 5, ECOWAS brought together ICT Ministries, National Regulatory Authorities, the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA), and Smart Africa to review progress and address implementation gaps in Regulation C/REG.21/12/17 on Roaming on Public Mobile Communication Networks.
The momentum is already visible.

More than half of ECOWAS Member States have operationalized at least one bilateral roaming agreement, reducing tariffs and generating measurable savings for citizens and businesses operating across borders. For traders moving goods from Lagos to Accra, transport operators navigating Abidjan to Freetown, and students studying across the region, the era of punitive roaming bills is steadily giving way to more predictable and affordable connectivity.

The Accra meeting validated the Draft Final Report on the regulation’s implementation, alongside proposed Implementation Guidelines and a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework aimed at strengthening compliance and accountability. The exercise signals a decisive phase in ECOWAS’ broader digital transformation and regional integration agenda.

Welcoming participants, Ghana’s Director General of the National Communications Authority, Rev. Ing. Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko, reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to seamless cross-border communication. He highlighted existing free-roaming arrangements and national policies that prioritize affordability, consumer protection, service quality and regulatory harmonization — key pillars for a digitally integrated West Africa.

Representing the ECOWAS Commission, the Acting Director of Digital Economy and Post, Ms. Folake Olagunju, commended the dedication of Member States’ National Regulatory Authorities, describing their collaboration as the critical bridge between high-level regional policy and tangible benefits for citizens.

While acknowledging implementation challenges, she emphasized that structured feedback from Member States would guide practical, solution-driven adjustments. Olagunju reaffirmed the Commission’s determination to secure full compliance with the roaming regulation, expressing appreciation to WATRA for its technical backing and to the World Bank for financial support through the Western Africa Regional Integration Program (WARDIP), which funded the review exercise.

Chairing the workshop, Sierra Leone’s Director of Communications at the Ministry of Communication Technology and Innovation, Mr. Nyakeh Yormah, expressed confidence that the validated report and accompanying frameworks would reinforce enforcement mechanisms and accelerate the delivery of affordable roaming services across the bloc.

With a population exceeding 400 million, West Africa represents one of the continent’s largest and most dynamic mobile markets. Analysts note that effective enforcement of the roaming regulation could significantly deepen economic integration under ECOWAS’ free movement protocols, facilitate cross-border trade, and strengthen digital inclusion.

Participants were urged to engage robustly, as the outcomes of the Accra workshop are expected to shape the next phase of implementation — one that could redefine how West Africans connect, transact and communicate beyond national borders.

If fully enforced, the ECOWAS roaming regime could emerge as one of the region’s most visible and citizen-centered integration achievements — translating policy commitments into direct financial relief and seamless connectivity for millions.

From Accra, the message is unmistakable: affordable regional connectivity is no longer optional. It is becoming a regulatory imperative.