NCA Hosts Tripartite ECOWAS Roaming Meeting to Advance Regional Connectivity

Accra, 27^th April, 2026: Ghana, through the National Communications Authority (NCA), is hosting a Tripartite ECOWAS Roaming Meeting at the NCA Tower in Accra from the 27^th to the 30^th of April, 2026. The meeting brings together telecommunications regulators and Mobile Network Operators from Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone to advance the implementation of the ECOWAS Free Roaming Initiative and facilitate the finalisation and signing of bilateral Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).

Deputy Director General in charge of Technical Operations at the NCA,
Mr. Suleman Salifu, welcoming the delegation

In his welcome remarks, the Deputy Director General for Technical Operations at the NCA, Mr. Suleman Salifu, described the meeting as a critical step in consolidating the progress made through previous bilateral engagements and technical discussions. He emphasised that the success of the initiative would depend on strong collaboration among regulators and Mobile Network Operators, guided by principles of mutual benefit, sustainability, and transparency.

He further noted that the meeting was being held at a timely moment following the review of the ECOWAS Roaming Regulations which had provided key insights for refining the framework and ensuring it remained practical and responsive to current market realities.

Chairman of the LTA, Hon. Clarence K. Massaquoi speaking at the meeting

Delivering opening remarks on behalf of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA), its Chairman, Hon. Clarence K. Massaquoi, commended the NCA for hosting the engagement and reaffirmed Liberia’s commitment to strengthening regional cooperation through the implementation of free roaming. He highlighted that the initiative would enable citizens to communicate, travel, and conduct business across borders more easily by reducing or eliminating high roaming charges.

Mr. Musa Jalloh (Capt. Rtd.), Deputy Director, Regulatory Administration at the National Communications Authority of Sierra Leone, delivering his remarks.

Leading the delegation from Sierra Leone, the Deputy Director, Regulatory Administration, Mr. Musa Jalloh (Capt. Rtd), speaking on behalf of the Director General of the National Communications Authority of Sierra Leone, described the meeting as a strategic milestone in the region’s journey towards a digitally-connected and economically-empowered ECOWAS community. He noted that affordable and seamless cross-border communication was essential for trade, mobility, education, and inclusive development, stressing that regional integration had to be supported by harmonised digital systems and regulatory frameworks.

Delegates in session at the Tripartite ECOWAS Roaming
Meeting at the NCA Tower.

Drawing comparisons with the East African “One Network Area” initiative which was implemented within a short period in 2014, Mr. Jalloh urged stakeholders to demonstrate renewed commitment, faster decision-making, and stronger coordination between regulators and operators. He further expressed Sierra Leone’s support for the harmonisation of short codes across the ECOWAS bloc and called for collective action to ensure that the benefits of regional roaming were realised without delay.

The Tripartite Meeting underscores the shared commitment of Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone to advancing regional integration and promoting a more connected and digitally-inclusive ECOWAS sub-region.

A group picture of participants at the meeting

The high-level engagement is focused on deepening collaboration, aligning implementation strategies, and addressing technical and operational considerations required to operationalise seamless roaming services across the three countries. It is expected to culminate in the signing of MoUs on the final day of the meeting, marking a significant milestone towards reducing roaming costs and enhancing cross-border connectivity.