Taking the Lead in Creating Free-roaming Zones in West Africa 

The telecommunications regulatory bodies of Liberia and Ghana revealed they had begun discussions to establish free roaming services between the two countries. According to the Liberia Telecommunications Authority, this is a significant step towards enabling mobile phone users to enjoy local rates while visiting either country. The primary objective of the free-roaming initiative is to facilitate seamless cross-border communication by allowing mobile phone users to pay local rates for cross-border communication. However, for both countries, entering a free-roaming arrangement would not only reduce communication costs for consumers but also enhance economic cooperation. Currently, a significant portion of subscribers rely on Internet-based applications such as WhatsApp, Messenger, and Telegram for cross-border communication between Liberia and Ghana. A Global System for Mobile Communications Association, report reveals that 58% of mobile users in West Africa use internet-based apps for international communication. These apps require users to have smartphones and active data plans.

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