West Africa: Free roaming agreement signed between Togo, Mali and Benin

Togo continues to implement the regulations of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) aimed at promoting Free Roaming in the West African sub-region. After signing a similar agreement with Côte d’Ivoire in midweek, Togo signed a new Free Roaming agreement with Mali on Saturday 9 December 2023.

This day is also marked by the signing of a bilateral free roaming memorandum of understanding between Mali and Benin.

The bilateral agreements signed will enable mobile phone users in Togo, Mali and Benin who are roaming to communicate at lower cost thanks to the abolition of roaming charges.

The memoranda of understanding were signed by Mr Saidou Pona SANKARE, Chairman of AMRTP in Mali, Mr Hervé Goovi GUEDEGBE, Executive Secretary of ARCEP BENIN, and Mr Michel Yaovi GALLEY, Director General of ARCEP in Togo, at the end of a two-day meeting in Lomé between the three regulators, consumer associations and representatives of mobile operators in Mali, Benin and Togo.

The effective implementation of free roaming between Benin and Mali and between Mali and Togo by 29 February 2024 at the latest will result in a very significant reduction in rates for travellers from these countries to one of the signatory countries (Benin, Mali and Togo).

The rate will be FCFA 79 per minute. Calls to the country of origin (call back to home) are capped at 150 CFA francs per minute.

The Internet service, for its part, will see an even greater reduction and will be billed at no more than 2.2 CFA francs per MB.

With the support of their respective governments, the regulatory authorities will continue their efforts to abolish roaming charges between ECOWAS countries through the multiplication of similar agreements in order to achieve the objective of mobility and community digital integration.

Chantal TAWELESSI