New landmark roaming between Togo and Benin Republic

Togo and Benin have recently inked a significant roaming agreement. Starting from January 1, 2024, residents of both countries visiting each other will enjoy reduced communication expenses while retaining their SIM cards.


The Communications Regulatory Authorities (Arcep) of both nations finalized this protocol of agreement in Lomé on Wednesday, October 18. This bilateral free-roaming agreement, signed by Michel Yaovi Galley and Benin’s Coovi Hervé Guedegbe, is the result of two days of extensive negotiations between regulatory authorities and mobile operators from both countries, including MTN Benin, Moov Africa Benin, CELTIS Benin, Togo Cellulaire, and Moov Africa Togo.

It is expected to lead to a substantial reduction in international communication costs for travelers between the two countries. Under this agreement, when a Togolese individual visiting Benin receives a call on their Togolese mobile number, they will not be charged for the first thirty consecutive days of their stay. This means free incoming calls during the initial month of the visit in both countries are included.

The Togo-Benin roaming agreement not only promises to strengthen ties between these two West African nations but also has the potential to influence the broader regional landscape. As a part of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the agreement sets a precedent for neighboring countries to consider similar initiatives.

While it’s set to come into effect on January 1, 2024, Togolese authorities say “similar efforts are being deployed with a view to reaching similar agreements with other countries in the regional community.”