Liberia and Ghana are in discussions to implement free roaming services, allowing mobile phone users to enjoy local rates when visiting either country. This initiative aligns with 2017 ECOWAS regulations to eliminate surcharges and simplify cross-border mobile communication. However, implementation has been hindered by high call termination rates and lack of direct telecom links. The Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) and Ghana’s regulatory body aim to overcome these challenges and advance ECOWAS’s goals through the implementation of free roaming. Through this initiative, mobile phone users will pay local charges for cross-border communication, thereby reducing communication costs and boosting economic cooperation between both countries. However, if the initiative is to succeed, it will require telecom carriers to adjust infrastructure and pricing models in line with ECOWAS guidelines. Nevertheless, the potential benefits outweigh the costs with free-roaming services projected to contribute $155 billion to Sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP by 2025, especially if more ECOWAS states implement the initiative.
SOURCE: VENTURES AFRICA
