Keypoints:
- Ghana, Burkina Faso sign free roaming deal
- Users to pay domestic rates across borders
- Rollout set to expand to Mali and Niger
GHANA and Burkina Faso have signed a landmark free mobile roaming agreement that will allow users to make calls and use data at domestic rates when travelling across their shared border. The deal was formalised in Ouagadougou on Friday at a ceremony hosted by Burkina Faso’s Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications and Posts (ARCEP), according to reporting by the Agence d’Information du Burkina (AIB).
The agreement aims to eliminate roaming surcharges for travellers, cross-border traders and communities living between the two countries. It represents a major step in the region’s move towards harmonised telecommunications frameworks, lowering communication costs while supporting economic and social mobility.
Officials from both governments hailed the pact as a breakthrough that makes digital connectivity more accessible to ordinary citizens and strengthens bilateral ties.
Roaming fees scrapped for travellers on both sides
Patrice Compaoré, Executive Secretary of ARCEP, said the new system follows extensive collaboration between technical teams and mobile operators from both countries. He stressed that it will deliver a direct financial benefit to consumers.
‘Removing roaming fees allows Burkinabè visitors to Ghana and Ghanaians travelling to Burkina Faso to communicate at the same rates they pay back home,’ he said. ‘It is a practical step that strengthens cooperation between our peoples.’
The measure is expected to simplify cross-border movement for traders, transport workers and students—groups that often rely on multiple SIM cards to avoid high charges. By treating mobile usage as local on either side of the border, officials hope the change will encourage more fluid economic activity and strengthen digital inclusion.
The move also aligns with a broader push across West Africa to modernise telecoms infrastructure and reduce barriers to regional mobility. As mobile services become increasingly essential for commerce, security coordination and financial services, policymakers see interoperability as a strategic priority.
Regional expansion planned with Mali and Niger
Burkina Faso’s Minister of Digital Transition, Posts and Electronic Communications, Dr Aminata Zerbo/Sabane, said the free roaming initiative will soon be expanded further across the region. She confirmed that Mali will be the next country to join the arrangement, followed by Niger, working in partnership with Ghana.
She noted that Burkina Faso already enjoys free roaming with fellow AES members as well as Togo, describing the initiative as part of a long-term strategy to integrate telecommunications systems across the sub-region.
‘This is part of a wider effort to enhance connectivity for our citizens,’ she said. ‘The teams involved have worked tirelessly to ensure we could reach today’s signing, and we will continue moving forward until mobile communication is both affordable and seamless across our region.’
The minister added that improving digital access is central to supporting regional trade, education and security cooperation.
Will this accelerate pressure for Ghana to join the AES?
The new roaming pact has prompted renewed discussion about whether Ghana might eventually seek closer alignment with the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), which currently includes Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. While Ghana maintains cooperative bilateral relations with AES countries, Accra has not signalled any intention to pursue formal membership.
Analysts say the telecoms agreement does not necessarily imply political convergence, but it does highlight the growing practical interconnectedness between Ghana and the AES bloc. With mobile roaming already harmonised across the AES and now extended to Ghana, some observers believe deeper digital and economic coordination could follow.
For now, Ghana appears committed to improving regional interoperability while maintaining its established commitments within ECOWAS. Still, with mobile roaming integration strengthening links between Accra and its northern neighbours, the question of Ghana’s future regional positioning is likely to resurface.
