MONROVIA - After years of steep mobile charges that crippled cross-border communication, Liberian travelers across West Africa now have reason to celebrate. The Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) has announced changes under the ECOWAS Free Roaming Regulation, allowing Liberians to receive free incoming calls and benefit from drastically reduced roaming costs when traveling in select ECOWAS countries.
The reform is already in effect between Liberia and Sierra Leone, with bilateral agreements currently underway to expand the benefits to The Gambia, Ghana, and Côte d'Ivoire. The LTA confirmed that once these agreements are finalized, Liberian subscribers using Orange Liberia or MTN Liberia will experience a seamless reduction in mobile service costs while roaming.
A Relief for Travelers
Before the ECOWAS Free Roaming policy, Liberians paid an eye-watering $0.50 per minute to receive calls abroad. That fee has now been eliminated, at least for the first 30 days of travel, resulting in a 100% savings on incoming calls.
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"This is a game changer for ordinary Liberians, especially those frequently traveling for business, education, or family obligations," said an LTA official involved in implementing the regulation. "We are finally closing the affordability gap that has long discouraged mobile connectivity outside of Liberia."
Massive Price Cuts Across the Board
Besides incoming calls, the cost of other mobile services has also plummeted:
- SMS: Previously $0.50 to send or receive a single text message, incoming SMS is now free, while outgoing SMS costs just $0.10--a reduction of 80%.
- Local calls in the host country: What used to cost $0.80 per minute now stands at a mere $0.12, reflecting an 85% drop.
- Calls back to Liberia: Rates have dropped modestly, from $0.80 to $0.65 per minute--a 19% savings.
- Data roaming: Once a luxury at $9.30 per megabyte, data now costs $0.06 per MB, marking a staggering 99.35% decrease. Bundle plans may offer even lower rates.
According to the LTA, data was previously the most inaccessible roaming feature for average Liberians. Many travelers resorted to purchasing local SIM cards just to get online. With the new framework, that may no longer be necessary, at least for the first 30 days abroad.
Who Benefits?
The ECOWAS Free Roaming Regulation strictly applies to subscribers traveling outside Liberia. Those residing permanently within Liberia are unaffected. However, border residents, whose phones sometimes automatically connect to networks in neighboring countries, should note that the 30-day roaming clock only starts if their phones fail to connect to a Liberian network at least once daily.
"If your phone connects to Orange or MTN Liberia once a day, even briefly, you're considered to still be in Liberia," the LTA clarified.
What About Long-Term Travelers?
The free roaming offer is valid for 30 consecutive days. After that, subscribers will revert to standard roaming tariffs. Travelers planning extended stays abroad are advised to purchase a local SIM card to avoid higher charges.
The regulation does not apply to international calls made from within Liberia to other countries, as these are not considered roaming services and remain governed by standard international rates.
No Activation Hassles
Roaming activates automatically upon arrival in a participating country. Users will receive an SMS notification confirming activation. However, to access mobile internet, users must manually enable "Data Roaming" in their phone settings.
Both Orange Liberia and MTN Liberia have been encouraged to develop user-friendly roaming bundles accessible via USSD shortcodes. Public awareness campaigns led by the LTA and mobile operators are ongoing to educate the public on how to make the most of these changes.
Dispute Resolution Measures in Place
In cases where subscribers experience incorrect billing or service inaccessibility, the LTA advises customers to first lodge complaints with their mobile service provider. If the issue is not resolved, consumers may escalate the matter to the LTA's Consumer Affairs Department.
A Regional Milestone
The ECOWAS Free Roaming initiative is part of a broader regional integration plan aimed at strengthening economic and social ties among West African states. Liberia's active participation signals its commitment to easing cross-border mobility and communication, a key priority under both the LTA and the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications.
Clarence Massaquoi is the chairman of LTA, and, at the opening ceremonies on Monday said he is happy that his persistent campaign at the House of Representatives to see a reformed telecommunication sector across the ECOWAS, and particularly Mano River countries has begun yielding the desired results.
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To the LTA chairman, the win is huge as Liberia and Sierra Leone in particular share lots of common identities, including similar cultures and local languages.
Massaquoi was a member of the House of Representatives and he represented the people of Lofa Electoral District #2.
Amara Brewah is the Director General of Sierra Leone's National Telecommunication Authority (NATCA). Like Massaquoi, Brewah expressed joy in the two countries collective achievement, emphasizing that there is no way people from Liberia can be strangers in Sierra Leone, as Liberians are not strangers in Sierra Leone too.
"We are one people and we are a family. This is a great milestone and we can all celebrate that we are even becoming more and more united not only by identical cultural practices but also technology," he said.
Madam Josephine Nkrumah is ECOWAS Country Representative in Liberia and in her remarks, noted that she is glad a borderless ECOWAS is gradually being birthed, beginning with the use of technological services. Nkrumah applauded Liberia and its counterparts which also include Ivory Coast for the bold step taken in easing constraints on citizens from their respective countries, amid the harsh economic realities confronting every nation in the region nowadays.
