Driving digital integration across Africa as telecom players explore modalities for establishment of a unified roaming system
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania: 7th March, 2025: Telecommunications stakeholders from across Africa convened in Kampala, Uganda for a Knowledge Exchange and Stakeholder Engagement Workshop on the One Africa Network (OAN) and EAC One Network Area (ONA).
The workshop marked a significant step towards realising a seamless and harmonised telecommunications framework across the continent. Jointly hosted by Smart Africa and the EAC Secretariat, the workshop brought together policymakers, regulators, mobile network operators (MNOs) and Development Partners to discuss key policy, regulatory and implementation challenges affecting Africa’s digital integration.
The OAN and ONA initiatives aim to facilitate affordable and seamless cross-border communication by eliminating excessive roaming charges, harmonising regulatory frameworks and fostering greater cooperation among African nations. By leveraging these frameworks, the continent seeks to accelerate regional integration, drive economic growth and empower citizens with greater access to digital services.
Speaking during the opening of the workshop, Smart Africa’s Senior Director Strategy and Growth, Mr. Didier Nkurikiyimfura, emphasised the critical role of digital transformation in driving integration across Africa.
“I take this opportunity to reaffirm Smart Africa’s commitment to fostering an interconnected digital economy on the continent as we strive to attain the ambitions of the Heads of State from Smart Africa’s 40 member countries to accelerate digital integration across the continent,” said Mr. Nkurikiyimfura.
On behalf of the EAC Secretary General, Hon. Veronica Nduva, the EAC Principal Information Technology Officer, Eng. Daniel Murenzi, said that the journey of the EAC region towards affordable connectivity commenced in 2014.
“In 2015, the EAC Heads of State directed the implementation of a "One Network Area" (ONA), essentially eliminating roaming charges and establishing uniform calling rates within the region. This directive aimed to facilitate increased connectivity and economic activity across the EAC bloc. Today, six (6) out of eight (8) EAC Partner States have adopted aspects of the ONA, significantly lowering roaming costs, with efforts ongoing to include the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia,” said Eng. Murenzi.
“The EAC remains committed to digital integration and strengthening collaboration with Smart Africa and other partners as we work towards a Single Digital Market, ensuring affordable communication across Africa,” added Eng. Murenzi.
In an effort to further enhance digital integration, the EAC through the World Bank funded Eastern Africa Regional Digital Integration Project (EARDIP), is working towards developing regulatory frameworks to expand and complete implementation of ONA.
In the established of the OAN, reliable network infrastructure is essential for smooth roaming services, but not all countries have the same level of investment in telecommunications technology. Some regions may lack the necessary mobile towers, fibre-optic connections, or network capacity to support cross-border roaming. Upgrading and expanding infrastructure requires significant investment, which can be a challenge for countries with limited resources.
Additionally, ensuring that networks are interoperable across different countries and operators is crucial for a seamless roaming experience. It was therefore noted that increased investment, regional collaboration, and policy support were needed to enhance infrastructure development and ensure reliable connectivity for all users.
The workshop further noted that establishing a unified roaming system across multiple countries requires coordination between different governments and service providers. One of the key challenges is ensuring that all participating nations agree on common policies and technical standards. Differences in existing regulations, economic conditions, and telecommunications policies make it difficult to create a single, harmonised framework that benefits both consumers and service providers.
Further, different countries have their own telecommunications regulations, which can create barriers to a seamless roaming experience. Some nations impose high taxes or strict rules that make it difficult for foreign operators to provide services. Aligning these regulations across multiple countries requires extensive negotiation and cooperation between governments, regulators, and industry stakeholders to ensure that policies support fair competition and consumer protection. Therefore, a robust regulatory framework is essential to harmonise policies, facilitate cross-border connectivity, and create a fair and sustainable roaming environment for all stakeholders.
Fair and affordable pricing for roaming services was also identified as a major concern. Some consumers face high costs when using mobile networks outside their home countries, while service providers must balance affordability with the need to maintain financial sustainability. The challenge lies in designing pricing models that reduce costs for users while ensuring that mobile operators can still invest in network improvements and maintain service quality.
In this regard, the workshop explored four pricing models: (i) Bloc-to-Bloc (e.g. EAC to ECOWAS or SADC) which leverages existing frameworks but requires multi-level approvals; (ii) Bloc-to-Individual Country (e.g. EAC to Ghana) which allows flexibility but poses regulatory compliance challenges; (iii) Individual Country-to-Individual Country (e.g. Uganda to Gabon) allows faster implementation but lacks centralised coordination; and (iv) EAC-COMESA-SADC Tripartite Framework which provides a structured and scalable model but requires significant regulatory harmonisation.
The experts recommended prioritising a Continental Roaming Framework or the Bloc-to-Bloc model for a gradual but expansive rollout.
The stakeholders deliberated on other aspects of establishing a unified roaming system across the continent and noted that need to address matters such as SIM boxing fraud, the establishment of regional interconnection gateways, the development of inter-operator settlement mechanisms, the establishment of a dispute resolution and fraud management, and the development of a structured implementation strategy for international roaming.
The knowledge exchange and stakeholder engagement workshop marked a critical a step towards aligning regional priorities with continental digital integration efforts and leveraging data-driven policy discussions. The stakeholders have made significant progress with consensus on refining the regional roaming framework(s) by leveraging existing structures shaping an inclusive, sustainable, and forward-looking approach to Africa’s telecommunications landscape.
Note to Editors:
One African Network (OAN)
The One Africa Network (OAN) is a project initiated by the Smart Africa Alliance aimed at improving cross-border communication within Africa by making it more affordable and secure, ultimately fostering continental integration and boosting intra-African trade through initiatives like reduced roaming charges and enhanced border security across telecom networks. It involves collaboration between African nations, regulators, mobile network operators, and regional economic communities to achieve this goal.
https://smartafrica.org/sas-project/one-africa-network/
EAC One Network Area (ONA)
The EAC One Network Area (ONA) is an initiative by the East African Community (EAC) to create a single telecommunications market across its Partner States, essentially eliminating roaming charges and allowing users to make calls within the region at local rates, promoting greater connectivity and economic integration within East Africa; currently, six (6) EAC countries are part of the ONA, allowing for easier communication and business transactions across borders. Efforts are underway to include the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Federal Republic of Somalia under the framework.
Smart Africa
Smart Africa is an alliance of African countries, private sector companies, and international organizations that aims to develop Africa's digital economy. The alliance was launched in 2013 by African Heads of State. The Smart Africa Manifesto was adopted by seven (7) African Heads of States (Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Mali, Gabon and Burkina Faso) in which they committed to provide leadership in accelerating socio-economic development through ICTs. The Smart Africa Alliance has since grown to include 40 African countries that represent over 1 billion people.
For more information, please contact:
Simon Peter Owaka
Senior Public Relations Officer
Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department
EAC Secretariat
Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: +255 768 552087
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
About the East African Community Secretariat:
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of eight (8) Partner States, comprising the Republic of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of Rwanda, the Federal Republic of Somalia, the Republic of South Sudan, the Republic of Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania. The Federal Republic of Somalia was admitted into the EAC bloc by the Summit of EAC Heads of State on 24th November, 2023 and became a full member on 4th March, 2024
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