Liberia and Ghana are in discussions to introduce free roaming between the two countries, aimed at reducing mobile phone call expenses for citizens traveling across borders.
This initiative would allow mobile users to pay local rates while using their phones in either country.
The proposal aligns with regulations set by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in 2017, which seek to standardize roaming charges among member states.
However, challenges such as slow regulatory activation, insufficient direct links between telecom operators, high call termination rates, and fraud are hindering implementation.
Similar agreements within ECOWAS have been pursued previously, including Ghana with Benin and Niger with Togo, all aimed at eliminating roaming surcharges.
Currently, many travellers resort to using Internet-based applications like WhatsApp for international calls between Liberia and Ghana, necessitating smartphones and data plans.
Presently, travellers must obtain local SIM cards or data plans in each respective country for voice calls or internet usage, highlighting the inconvenience and extra costs associated with current roaming practices.
