The Director-General of the National Communications Authority (NatCA), Sierra Leone, has reaffirmed the country’s commitment to regional digital integration, calling the launch of seamless mobile roaming between Liberia and Sierra Leone a “tangible step towards a seamless borderless digital West Africa.”
Delivering a keynote address at the Regional Roaming Conference hosted in Monrovia, Liberia by the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA), the Director-General joined other national regulatory authorities and stakeholders to mark two major milestones in West Africa’s digital transformation journey involving the official launch of seamless roaming services between Sierra Leone and Liberia, and the signing of a bilateral roaming agreement between Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire.
“These developments are more than technical achievements – they are acts of regional solidarity,” the Director-General said. “They reflect our shared belief that connectivity is a right, not a privilege.”
The event brought together representatives from LTA, ARTCI of Côte d’Ivoire, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) from Liberia and Sierra Leone, and other ECOWAS member states to advance the vision of affordable and accessible cross-border mobile services in West Africa.
The Sierra Leone–Liberia roaming milestone stems from a bilateral agreement signed in January 2025 between NatCA and LTA. The agreement, supported by consultations with PURA of The Gambia, was designed in alignment with the ECOWAS Roaming Regulations of 2017, which aim to harmonize pricing, protect consumers, and promote regional telecoms integration.
“This is not just about reducing costs for mobile users,” the Director-General noted. “It’s about enabling students, small businesses, cross-border traders, and everyday citizens to connect, communicate, and grow without barriers.”
The Director-General commended the MNOs on both sides of the border – MTN, LTC, and Orange Liberia, as well as Africell, Orange, and Qcell Sierra Leone – for their technical collaboration and commitment to implementing the roaming agreement.
He also thanked the LTA for its leadership and for including NatCA in bilateral engagements with ARTCI of Côte d’Ivoire, calling it “a gesture of solidarity that underscores the power of regional unity.”
Looking ahead, the Director-General called for sustained cross-border collaboration to propel the ECOWAS digital agenda forward.
He highlighted ongoing discussions with Ghana and Guinea aimed at advancing similar free roaming agreements, reinforcing the region’s commitment to seamless digital integration. Emphasizing the pillars of progress, he underscored the need for robust infrastructure investment, harmonized regulatory frameworks, and strengthened consumer protection measures. Such efforts, he noted, are essential to ensuring that digital services across West Africa remain affordable, reliable, and universally accessible.
“We are not just celebrating success today,” he concluded. “We are beginning a new chapter – one defined by partnership, trust, and action. Together, we can make seamless regional roaming a reality for every West African,” DG Amara Brewah said.
