Telcom regulators representing West African states have agreed to implement free roaming, according to Elhadj Mom Laminou, the executive secretary of the Association of the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators (WATRA).

"In its roadmap, the Assembly of the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators proposes States to establish an accompanying budget by three months. After the implementation of the pilot phase, an evaluation is scheduled three months later, that is to say by the end of December 2016, "said Laminou.

These steps, Laminou said, are necessary for the region's regulators to achieve the ultimate aim of "one area network" in West Africa, and this could be implemented as early January 2017.

He added that WATRA is actively interested in ending what the organisation perceives as an exorbitant roaming tariff regime in West Africa, one characterised by hikes of betwen 50% and 200%.

"Once effective, the establishment of the 'free roaming' will improve security through an improvement in monitoring. It will also be a way to further develop the sub-regional integration through the free movement of people and goods," he said.