Liberia, Sierra Leone Set to “Go Live” with Regional Roaming Agreement

The Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA), under the leadership of Chairperson Clarence Massaquoi, on Monday, August 4, 2025, hosted a high-level delegation of telecommunications regulators from Sierra Leone for a series of technical meetings aimed at testing the readiness to implement the long-anticipated Free Roaming Agreement between the two countries. The meetings, held in Monrovia, marked the final phase of preparation before the agreement officially goes live on Wednesday, August 6. This move aligns with the broader ECOWAS Regional Roaming Initiative, which seeks to eliminate high cross-border call and data charges for citizens traveling within West Africa. Chairperson Massaquoi welcomed the delegation and praised the collaborative spirit between both regulatory bodies, emphasizing the significance of the milestone. “This agreement is a practical step toward regional integration and digital inclusion,” said Chairperson Massaquoi. “We are proud to be working hand in hand with our Sierra Leonean counterparts to ensure that citizens in both countries enjoy affordable and seamless communication when traveling.” One of the primary challenges addressed during the technical meetings was ensuring cooperation between Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and international carriers that facilitate cross-border connectivity. Discussions focused on achieving mutually beneficial pricing structures ones that reduce costs for end-users while allowing service providers to maintain a reasonable profit margin. Starting Wednesday, travelers from Liberia visiting Sierra Leone will no longer need to purchase a local SIM card. Instead, their Liberian-issued SIM cards will work seamlessly on Sierra Leonean networks, and vice versa. Users will benefit from a harmonized pricing system, which ensures that calls made between the two countries are charged as domestic calls, based on a negotiated ECOWAS price ceiling. This transformative initiative is expected to boost economic activity, facilitate cross-border communication, and enhance regional mobility for ordinary citizens and businesses alike. The Liberia Telecommunications Authority and its counterpart in Sierra Leone reaffirmed their commitment to continued collaboration in achieving ECOWAS digital integration goals, and called on MNOs to ensure a smooth and uninterrupted rollout of the roaming framework.