Telecommunications stakeholders from across Africa are calling for enhanced cooperation among nations to establish a unified roaming system that would drive digital integration across the continent. This call was issued during a high-level workshop in Kampala, Uganda, jointly hosted by Smart Africa and the East African Community (EAC) Secretariat, according to an official EAC statement. Delegates emphasised that a One Africa Network approach to roaming – effectively treating intra-African mobile communication as local – could significantly lower costs and improve connectivity for consumers and businesses. The Knowledge Exchange and Stakeholder Engagement Workshop on the One Africa Network and EAC One Network Area marked a significant step toward realising a seamless, harmonised telecommunications framework spanning African countries. Stakeholders at the event underscored that such a continent-wide system would eliminate the need for changing SIM cards when travelling and reduce exorbitant roaming charges, thereby accelerating Africa’s digital integration.
Establishing a unified roaming regime across multiple countries requires extensive coordination among governments and service providers. One key challenge identified is ensuring that all participating nations agree on common policies and technical standards for roaming. Harmonisation of regulations, pricing, and network technologies is essential so that mobile users can roam across borders without facing disparate charges or connectivity issues. Participants noted that without consensus on policy and technical frameworks, efforts to create one network area for Africa could stall. The workshop facilitated frank discussions on these regulatory and implementation challenges, reflecting a shared recognition that policy alignment is as crucial as technological solutions in achieving a one-network model. Experts pointed out that high roaming fees in Africa have long been a barrier to regional commerce and communication, with travellers often paying higher rates for roaming within Africa than for calls to other continents. This reality makes a compelling case for unified action: by agreeing to abolish or cap roaming fees mutually, African states can foster closer economic and social ties.
The Kampala workshop convened a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including senior policymakers, national regulators, mobile network operators, and development partners. Together, they examined key policy, regulatory, and practical issues impeding Africa’s digital integration. Lessons were drawn from existing regional initiatives such as the EAC’s own One Network Area (ONA), which has already lowered roaming charges among East African countries by introducing harmonised tariffs and free incoming calls for roamers. Similar initiatives in West and Southern Africa – for instance, recent bilateral agreements under the ECOWAS free roaming framework and a Southern African Development Community (SADC) roaming cost reduction pact – have demonstrated the feasibility and benefits of cooperation. These examples provided valuable insights at the workshop on how a wider pan-African roaming arrangement might be implemented. Participants shared knowledge on aligning national telecom regulations, developing shared technical standards, and building the political will needed to expand isolated successes into a continent-wide network.
By leveraging frameworks like Smart Africa’s One Africa Network and the EAC’s One Network Area, the continent is seeking to accelerate regional integration, spur economic growth, and empower its citizens with greater access to digital services. A unified African roaming system is seen as a catalyst for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) objectives, facilitating easier cross-border communication for businesses and travellers alike. “Affordable roaming is not just a telecom issue – it is fundamental to Africa’s socio-economic integration,” one delegate observed, noting that improved connectivity will enable small enterprises and ordinary citizens to participate more fully in the digital economy. The EAC statement highlighted that the workshop’s outcomes will inform ongoing efforts to craft a roadmap for implementing a single African telecom market. Stakeholders left the forum with a clear consensus that pan-African roaming integration is both necessary and achievable through sustained multilateral collaboration. The next steps will involve continued dialogue and technical coordination to turn the vision of One Africa, One Network into a reality that benefits all Africans.
