Benin and Togo have signed a bilateral memorandum of understanding (MoU) on mutual free international mobile network roaming between the two countries under the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Roaming Regulations. Agence Ecofin reports that the Beninese Authority for Regulation of Electronic Communications and Post (l’Autorite de Regulation des Communications Electroniques et de la Poste, ARCEP) and its regulatory counterpart, ARCEP Togo, inked the MoU on October 18, 2023, and scheduled its implementation for January 1, 2024. Togo and Benin roaming

The initiative complies with Regulation No. C/REG.21/12/17 (2017) for roaming on public mobile networks within ECOWAS states.

This MoU enables Togolese and Beninese mobile users travelling between the neighbouring countries to enjoy the same rates as locally registered mobile network subscribers for outgoing calls and messages for 30 days, during which period incoming calls and texts are free. Additionally, the MoU caps mobile internet roaming service rates, which will be set at a maximum XOF2.2 (USD0.0035) per MB for Togolese residents visiting Benin, compared with existing rates of up to XOF8,000/MB, potentially making roaming data 3,600 times cheaper. Togo and Benin roaming

Furthermore, the two countries agreed to significantly lower the rates for international calls to and from Togo and Benin: from January 1, these will be capped at XOF90 per minute, regardless of whether calling from the user’s home country network or whilst roaming. TogoFirst notes that the existing per-minute rate for a Togo-to-Benin call from the user’s home network is CFA225, while a minute’s call to Togo for a Togolese resident visiting Benin currently costs XOF1,393.

In July this year, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire launched mutual roaming without surcharges via the ECOWAS regulations, while Togo is also in the process of finalizing a similar arrangement with Ghana under the ECOWAS framework.