From left: Amara Brewah, The Director General, National Communications Authority (NatCA) & M. Mamady Doumbouya, President of the African Council of Regulators (CAR) & the Director General of the ARPT Guinea
The National Communications Authority (NatCA) has signed an agreement with the Republic of Guinea to introduce free mobile roaming between the two countries. The protocol was finalised during the 15th Session of the African Council of Regulators (CAR-15), held alongside the Transform Africa 2025 Summit and supported by the Smart Africa Alliance.
This marks the second major telecommunications partnership between Sierra Leone and Guinea in less than a year. In November 2024, both countries signed an agreement to interconnect their national internet backbone networks, strengthening digital infrastructure and enabling faster, more secure data exchange across their borders.
The new roaming deal forms part of a wider regional effort to make communication easier within West Africa. Ghana, Togo, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, and Liberia have all entered similar agreements in recent months, demonstrating a shared commitment to reducing roaming costs and deepening economic integration across the sub-region.
Director-General Amara Brewah signed on behalf of Sierra Leone, reaffirming the Government’s intention to deliver affordable, border-friendly connectivity for citizens.
Once operational, the agreement will allow mobile users in both countries to make calls, send messages, and use data without international roaming surcharges, a major relief for traders, students, travellers, and families who move between the two nations.
“This agreement makes it easier for our people to stay connected when they move between Sierra Leone and Guinea. “It is a practical step toward reducing the cost of communication, deepening cross-border trade bringing Smart Africa’s vision of a Single Digital Market closer to reality.”- Amara Brewah, Director General, National Communication Authority (NatCA)
When implementation is completed and activated by operators, the free-roaming arrangement is expected to:
- Allow subscribers to keep their home SIM and number while in the other country, without needing to buy a new SIM.
- Enable more affordable calls, SMS and data when travelling, in line with agreed local or capped roaming tariffs.
- Reduce “bill shock” for traders, transport workers, students, families and professionals who regularly cross the Sierra Leone–Guinea border.
NatCA and its Guinean counterpart will work closely with licensed mobile network operators to finalise the technical details, including tariff structures, fair-use conditions and quality-of-service standards along the border.
For Sierra Leone and Guinea, the agreement will:
- Support cross-border trade and economic activity, especially in border communities.
- Strengthen regional integration and efforts toward a Single Digital Market in Africa.
- Encourage further investment in shared digital infrastructure, including cross-border fibre and resilient networks.
- Reduce communication barriers that limit mobility, tourism, and business links between the two countries.
Implementation will proceed in phases following technical coordination with operators in both countries. NatCA will, in due course, announce the effective activation date of free roaming between Sierra Leone and Guinea and publish detailed consumer guidance.
About the National Communications Authority (NatCA)
The National Communications Authority (NatCA) is the statutory regulator for electronic communications and ICT services in Sierra Leone. NatCA promotes fair competition, protects consumers and works to ensure universal, affordable access to modern communications services nationwide.