18TH MEETING OF EXPERTS FROM WEST AFRICAN NATIONAL REGULATORY AUTHORITIES FOCUSES ON ROAMING IMPLEMENTATION ACROSS PUBLIC MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS
Lomé, the capital of the Republic of Togo, is hosting a two-day hybrid meeting beginning August 20, 2025, organised by ECOWAS. The meeting is dedicated to monitoring and evaluating the implementation of Regulation C/REG.21/12/17 on roaming across Public Mobile Communications Networks. This event also marks the 18th gathering of Roaming focal points from across the region.
This hybrid meeting brings together focal points from the National Regulatory Authorities of ECOWAS Member States, representatives from the Secretariat of the West African Telecommunications Regulators’ Assembly (WATRA), representatives from the ECOWAS Commission’s Directorate of Digital Economy and Post, representatives from UEMOA, and the ECOWAS National Office in Togo.
Speaking at the opening ceremony on behalf of Mr Sediko DOUKA, ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalisation, Ms Folake Olagunju, Acting Director of Digital Economy and Post, welcomed the full participation of Member States’ focal points at this important meeting.
She highlighted the progress made since the regulation’s adoption, particularly through bilateral tariff agreements between Member States. “This meeting is more than a checkpoint; it is a catalyst. It offers a valuable platform for Member States to exchange experiences, share lessons learned, and offer practical insights, especially for those still navigating the implementation process… The ECOWAS Commission remains fully committed to supporting Member States in this endeavour… ” said Ms Folake Olagunju.
In his address to participants, Mr Musa Jalloh, Deputy Director of Regulation at the National Telecommunications Authority of the Republic of Sierra Leone, emphasised the importance of digital integration and a unified regional market. He praised the growing number of bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding between Member States, reflecting the commitment of authorities to significantly reducing telecommunications costs and improving interoperability for the benefit of citizens across the ECOWAS region.
The meeting was officially launched by Mr Michel Yaovi Galley, Director General of the Electronic Communications and Postal Regulatory Authority (ARCEP) of Togo, represented by Mr Cabo Amar Vinyo, Director of Markets and Data Regulation. Mr Vinyo called for the full implementation of the regulation across all Member States to enhance consumer satisfaction, improve connectivity, democratise internet access, and promote regional integration.
Throughout the meeting, focal points will present updates on roaming service implementation, assess compliance with community price caps based on national monitoring, and review progress on tasks assigned during the 19th Meeting of ECOWAS Ministers on Telecommunications/ICT/Digital Economy. Discussions will also address delays in bilateral agreements and explore operator concerns related to fraud and other issues.
Experts will evaluate regulatory proposals, review the ECOWAS Commission’s progress in updating the Regulatory Framework, and examine WATRA’s engagement with the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) to provide technical assistance for community roaming.
As a reminder, Regulation C/REG.21/12/17 was adopted by the ECOWAS Council of Ministers in December 2017. It aims to establish a harmonised legal and tariff framework for roaming within ECOWAS Member States, reduce high costs for voice, SMS, and data roaming, and determine the rights and obligations of community roaming service providers and regulators.
Source: newsghana.com.gh
