The government of Ghana said that it has implemented free roaming with Benin and Togo, enabling residents of all three West African countries to use their mobile services without having to pay international roaming charges.
According to a statement from Ghana’s National Communications Authority (NCA) on Wednesday, mobile users from Ghana, Togo and Benin can send voice calls and text messages – either locally or internationally – at local rates for 30 consecutive days when they travel within all three countries. Incoming calls and SMSs will be free of charge.
Internet access is also charged at local data bundle rates, although users outside of their home country won’t be able to purchase new data plans.
In a speech at a press event in Accra, Deputy Minister for Communications and Digitalisation Charles Acheampong said the initiative would encourage more travel and create a more unified and interconnected region.
“This initiative will allow our citizens to stay connected seamlessly, without the burden of high roaming charges or the inconvenience of multiple SIMs,” he said.
Michel Yaovi Galley, director general of Togo’s Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications (ARCEP Togo), said that mobile operators from Ghana, Togo and Benin were all committed to the success of the project.
The agreements are part of the Free Roaming Initiative launched by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
While the initiative was signed in 2016, ECOWAS member states have struggled to implement it, not least because of ongoing political and economic instability in the region, as well as the COVID pandemic. It was only in June 2023 that the first free roaming agreement was launched between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.
Apart from Ghana, Togo, Benin and Côte d’Ivoire, other ECOWAS members include Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone.
Meanwhile, Acheampong urged the NCA to set clear metrics to gauge the success of the roaming initiative.
“Only by measuring our progress can we ensure that we are delivering on the promises made to our citizens and achieving the intended outcomes,” he said.
