Cheaper roaming across East Africa could unlock new opportunities for SMEs

But as the East African Community (EAC) strengthens the One Network Area (ONA) framework, affordable communication across borders is becoming a reality.

Speaking to The Citizen on Sunday, September 20, 2025, communication and technology experts from the EAC highlighted how these measures could transform communications and facilitate business across the region.

A recent Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) report shows the impact: between March and June 2025, the average cost of calls from Tanzania to other EAC countries fell by 61 percent, from Sh627.80 to Sh247.52 per minute.

The result: international call volumes surged to more than 156 million minutes in just three months, compared with nine million minutes four years ago.

“This is a clear sign that affordability drives usage,” said TCRA Director-General Dr Jabiri Bakari.

“More people are staying connected with family, business partners, and institutions across the region,” he added.

Regional roaming fees have long been seen as a barrier to integration. Every time a Tanzanian SME hesitated to call a client in Uganda due to cost, opportunities were lost. Likewise, students avoiding calls home widened connectivity gaps.

“East Africans should move, trade, and connect across borders without worrying about exorbitant phone bills,” said Head of Kenya’s Communications Authority, Dr Franklin Makokha.

He added: “This is about making regional integration tangible in people’s daily lives.”

For SMEs, the impact is immediate. “Communication is a cost driver for small businesses. Lower roaming charges open up wider markets,” said Tanzanian tech entrepreneur, Ms Sophia Nyerere.

“A Dar es Salaam designer can negotiate with a client in Kigali in real time without fearing the bill. It is a game-changer for innovators,” she added.

Introduced a decade ago, ONA reduced costs within some member states but faced gaps: uneven implementation, SIM-box fraud, and inconsistent interconnection rules.

The Eastern Africa Regional Digital Integration Project (EARDIP) is now addressing these gaps by harmonising interconnect regulations, introducing fair usage policies, and expanding coverage to technologies such as e-SIMs and IoT services.

“Affordability is key, but we must address illicit practices and ensure that small operators are not pushed out by larger ones,” said the Director of Economic Regulation at the Uganda Communications Commission, Ms Julianne Mweheire.

Newer members, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia, have expressed readiness to align with ONA.

“Harmonising with EAC rules, including in telecoms, is strategic for Somalia’s regional economic integration,” said Ms Nyerere.

Experts agree that seamless regional communication requires full political, technical, and commercial commitment from all member states.

Reduced roaming is more than a telecoms issue; it is an integration tool. Intra-regional trade accounts for just 15 percent of total trade, well below potential. Cutting communication costs could unlock this.

“Communication is the nervous system of modern business. Lower costs allow SMEs to coordinate supply chains, innovators to pitch across borders, and services like health and education to integrate digitally,” said digital economy analyst, Dr Emmanuel Mgendi.

Consumers also gain. Harmonised data roaming means students and professionals can access mobile internet across the region at the same rates.

Dr Mgendi noted that the EAC’s push to reduce roaming tears down invisible barriers, moving from political rhetoric to real integration citizens can feel daily.