Liberia, The Gambia, and Sierra Leone have signed a groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at reducing telecommunications costs and enhancing roaming services across the three countries.
Set to be implemented in phases, the agreement will take effect on May 2, 2025, enabling Liberian travelers in Sierra Leone to receive calls free of charge while making calls, sending SMSs, and using mobile data at local rates—without needing a new SIM card. By July 1, 2025, similar benefits will extend to travelers between Liberia and The Gambia, eliminating additional international roaming charges.
This initiative, spearheaded by the Liberia Telecommunication Authority (LTA) in partnership with Sierra Leone’s National Communications Authority and The Gambia’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, aims to foster economic growth and seamless communication for the region’s 16 million residents.
While full regional roaming integration is still a work in progress, LTA Chairman Abdullah Kamara emphasized that these agreements mark a significant step toward implementing ECOWAS regulations on roaming, ultimately working to eliminate high roaming fees across West Africa.
The move follows similar agreements in Africa, including Ghana’s free roaming deal with Benin and Togo in 2023, as well as a Senegal-Mauritania agreement, highlighting the continent’s growing momentum toward affordable cross-border communication.
Related: Ghana Introduces ECOWAS Free Roaming Initiative with Togo and Benin
Liberia and Ghana Pursue Free Roaming Deal to Cut Phone Charges
