The National Communications Authority (NCA) of Ghana and Nigeria’s Communications Commission (NCC) have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening regulatory collaboration, following a high-level bilateral coordination meeting held at the NCA Tower in Accra on May 8, 2025.
The meeting was part of a broader two-day benchmarking visit by an eight-member Nigerian delegation led by Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC. Discussions centered on strengthening bilateral ties, addressing cross-border regulatory challenges, and exchanging best practices in the telecommunications sector, particularly in market regulation, roaming agreements, and real-time monitoring capabilities.
Welcoming the delegation, NCA Acting Director General Rev. Ing. Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko emphasized the strategic importance of cross-border cooperation.
“We have always supported each other when needed, and it is important that we continue to set the tone for regional leadership, especially on the international front,” Fianko said. “Ghana is keen to work with Nigeria on areas such as ECOWAS Roaming, cross-border monitoring of shared market players, and regulatory capacity building.”
Ghana currently has ECOWAS Free Roaming agreements with Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, and Benin, and is piloting one with The Gambia. According to Fianko, the high traffic and trade volumes between Ghana and Nigeria make enhanced regulatory alignment both economically and operationally essential.
Dr. Maida, in response, commended Ghana’s advancements in telecom regulation, highlighting market dominance, management, and deployment of real-time tools.
“We recognise the strong ties between our institutions and countries, and we are here not just because of what we have heard, but because we have seen the impact of the NCA’s work,” he said. “Nigeria is eager to collaborate on ECOWAS Roaming and learn from Ghana’s experience dealing with significant market players.”
He added that while Nigeria’s regulatory approach takes into account market size and operator revenue, regional integration through harmonized roaming policies remains a shared priority. “There is a shared responsibility to push for greater sub-regional integration,” Dr. Maida stated.
As part of the visit, the NCC delegation toured NCA’s regulatory infrastructure, including its Broadcast Monitoring Centre, Network Monitoring System, and Quality of Service tools, underscoring the importance of operational transparency and monitoring in effective telecom governance.
Dr. Maida also extended an invitation for Ghana to join the International Institute of Communications (IIC), noting that the formation of an African chapter would benefit from Ghana’s involvement and regional leadership.
The bilateral meeting concluded with a mutual commitment to pursue joint initiatives within the ECOWAS framework, reinforcing both nations’ roles as telecom regulatory leaders in West Africa.
