ECOWAS Validates Implementation Review of its Regulation on Roaming

Accra, Ghana, February 3, 2026 — The ECOWAS Commission is intensifying efforts to make cross-border mobile communication more affordable and seamless across West Africa. Over half of the Member States have already implemented at least one bilateral roaming agreement, allowing people and businesses to stay connected at lower costs and providing meaningful savings to consumers.

To advance this objective, the ECOWAS Commission held a three-day workshop in Accra from 3 – 5 February, which brought together ICT Ministries, National Regulators, the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA) and Smart Africa to validate the Draft Final Report on the review of the implementation of Regulation C/REG.21/12/17 on Roaming on Public Mobile Communication Networks in the ECOWAS space. The workshop represents a key step in reviewing progress, addressing implementation gaps and reinforcing regional digital integration.

In his welcome address, the Director General of the National Communications Authority of Ghana, Rev. Ing. Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko, reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to seamless cross-border communication, while highlighting existing free-roaming agreements and national policies that prioritize consumer protection, affordability, quality of service and regulatory harmonization.

The representative of the ECOWAS Commission and Acting Director of Digital Economy and Post, Ms. Folake Olagunju, commended the dedication of Member States’ National Regulatory Authorities, noting that their collaboration translates high-level regional policies into tangible benefits for citizens. She acknowledged ongoing challenges and emphasized the importance of Member States’ feedback in guiding practical solution-driven actions. She also reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to Member States towards ensuring full compliance with the roaming regulation and expressed appreciation to WATRA for its support. She also acknowledged the financial assistance provided for the review exercise by the World Bank through the Western Africa Regional Integration Program (WARDIP).

Chairing the meeting, Mr. Nyakeh Yormah, Director of Communications at Ministry of Communication Technology and Innovation, Sierra Leone expressed confidence that the Draft Final Report, together with proposed Implementation Guidelines and Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, will help strengthen the Regulation and ensure it delivers on its objective of seamless regional connectivity and more affordable roaming services for citizens.

Participants were encouraged to engage actively, as the outcomes of the workshop will play a crucial role in advancing affordable and accessible mobile roaming across the ECOWAS region.