(Ecofin Agency) - • Togo and Burkina Faso agree to end roaming charges for incoming calls starting May 30
• Several bilateral and tripartite deals already cut mobile costs by up to 90%
• ECOWAS push for region-wide free roaming still faces technical and regulatory hurdles

Togo and Burkina Faso have signed a new agreement to eliminate roaming charges for incoming calls between the two countries starting May 30, 2025. The deal is part of a growing wave of free roaming initiatives across West Africa, backed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which sees it as a key step toward deeper digital and economic integration.

“The implementation of this protocol will lead to a significant drop in voice, SMS and internet charges for Togolese travelers visiting Burkina Faso and vice versa,” said Togo’s telecoms regulator, ARCEP. “This means travelers from either country will be able to receive calls for free during the first 30 days of their stay. Outgoing calls to local numbers in the host country will also be capped at the same rate charged for domestic calls on that network.”

As a reminder, in June 2023, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire were the first to implement a bilateral free roaming deal, slashing call, SMS and internet prices by up to 90% for Ivorian subscribers traveling in Ghana, according to Côte d’Ivoire’s telecom regulator, ARTCI.

In October 2024, Ghana expanded free roaming to include Benin and Togo. “By enabling affordable and seamless communication across our borders, we are not only enhancing the convenience of travel and business but also strengthening the social and economic fabric of our nations,” said Charles Acheampong, then Ghana’s deputy minister of communication.

Benin and Togo launched their free roaming agreement on January 1, 2024. As a result, Togolese users roaming in Benin now pay CFA90 per minute for calls back home, down from as high as CFA1,393. Mobile data dropped from CFA8,000 per megabyte to CFA2.2. For Beninese visitors in Togo, local call rates fell from CFA79 to CFA60 per minute, while calls to Benin dropped from CFA200 to CFA90. Data now costs CFA2.2 per megabyte instead of CFA5. International SMS rates are now capped at CFA70, and international calls at CFA90, compared to the previous CFA225.

In November 2024, Ghana signed a deal with The Gambia to roll out free roaming in the first half of 2025. “We are laying the groundwork for stronger economic ties, cultural exchange and mutual understanding,” said Njogou Bah, head of Gambia’s public utilities regulator, PURA.

Liberia followed in January 2025, signing agreements with Sierra Leone and The Gambia. The Liberia–Sierra Leone free roaming service is set to launch on May 2, while the Liberia–Gambia deal will take effect on July 1.

Countries from the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso—also signed a roaming convention in November 2024, aiming for implementation by December 31. asaid Wenlassida Patrice Compaoré, head of Burkina Faso’s electronic communications regulator.

No update has been issued yet on whether this agreement has gone into effect.

In the meantime, Mali has been working on bilateral arrangements since December 2023, particularly with Benin and Togo, targeting a February 29, 2024 launch. Togo is also in talks with Niger to expand free roaming cooperation. Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso signed a deal in October 2023, with a planned start no later than December 15 that year.

The vision: a borderless West African telecom zone

The aim behind these efforts is clear: to build a West Africa where borders do not stand in the way of communication, business, or social interaction. That vision, expressed by Ghana’s National Communications Authority (NCA), still faces some hurdles.

Most of the progress so far has come through bilateral or tripartite deals, not a unified regional approach. Challenges remain, including the lack of direct connections between operators, high interconnection fees, and persistent fraud.

In 2017, ECOWAS adopted a community regulation to create a region-wide low-cost or free roaming zone to support cross-border communication and promote the free movement of people and goods. The goal is to establish a single, integrated telecom market across member states.

For now, the rise in bilateral agreements is an encouraging step. But real progress will require broader implementation across the region. A fully operational free roaming zone could make communication more affordable, increase trade and social interaction, and bring West Africa closer to true economic integration.