Ghana, Burkina Faso Open Talks to End Cross-Border Signal Interference

The National Communications Authority (NCA) of Ghana and Burkina Faso’s Autorité de Régulation des Communications Électroniques et des Postes (ARCEP) have begun bilateral talks aimed at curbing cross-border signal interference disrupting mobile services in communities along their shared boundary.

The virtual meeting, held on August 19, 2025, brought together regulators and mobile network operators from both countries to craft a frequency coordination agreement designed to mitigate interference and ensure seamless communications across the border.

Opening the discussions, Acting Director General of the NCA, Edmund Fianko, said Ghana was committed to reducing interference challenges and had already signed a similar frequency agreement with Togo. He said the talks with Burkina Faso were prompted by complaints from border-area consumers.

“Provisions would be made for minimum signal strength across the border, and operators on both sides must comply with the new thresholds once agreed,” Fianko told participants, urging stakeholders to adhere strictly to the terms once finalised.

He also linked the initiative to broader regional goals, highlighting Ghana’s push for ECOWAS-wide roaming. “Ghana had already achieved successful implementations with Togo and Benin,” he said, pointing to the potential for expanded regional integration in telecom services.

Burkina Faso’s delegation, led by Sibiri Ouattara, Technical Advisor to the Executive Secretary of ARCEP, welcomed the move, saying it marked an important step toward improving spectrum management across borders.

“The meeting was a step in the right direction, as both regulators and operators worked together to build a robust framework for a better coordinated and more effectively managed spectrum,” Ouattara said.

He added that the talks provided an opportunity to evaluate technical data collected during a joint spectrum monitoring exercise conducted from October to December 2024. “I am convinced that the conclusions and recommendations resulting from our discussions will represent a major step, guaranteeing optimal and harmonious use of frequencies without harmful interference, for the benefit of our citizens,” he noted.

The regulators are expected to hold follow-up engagements to finalise the agreement, which will serve as a blueprint for tackling interference while strengthening regulatory cooperation across the sub-region.

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