Ghana and Burkina Faso team up to tackle cross-border telecom interference 🇬🇭 📶 🇧🇫

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Ghana and Burkina Faso have opened talks to curb telecom signal interference along their shared border. The move aims to improve service quality for people living in frontier regions and strengthen regional cooperation on spectrum management.

A bilateral push to reduce signal spillover 🤝

On August 19–20, telecom regulators and mobile operators from both countries met under the auspices of Ghana’s National Communications Authority (NCA). The discussions focused on strategies to minimize cross-border interference and lay the groundwork for a coordination agreement.

According to acting NCA Director-General Edmund Fianko, power limits will be set to prevent signals from spilling beyond national borders. Operators will be required to comply once the agreement is finalized.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) notes that radio waves don’t recognize political boundaries, making cross-country coordination essential. Without it, signal clashes can disrupt local networks and even lead to foreign operators’ signals appearing inside a neighboring country.

A regional trend toward harmonization 🔄

This isn’t the first time African states have taken steps to align their spectrum policies. Ghana already has a similar pact with Togo. Earlier in August, Congo and Angola held comparable talks, while Gabon and Cameroon signed an agreement on August 4. In June, Chad and Cameroon also launched negotiations to harmonize frequency use along their borders.

These initiatives reflect a shared determination to meet Africa’s skyrocketing demand for connectivity, while reducing the technical headaches that often hit subscribers the hardest.

Still at an early stage ⏳

For now, Ghana and Burkina Faso haven’t signed a formal deal. Success will depend on their ability to agree on technical terms and ensure effective implementation on the ground.

If finalized, the agreement could significantly improve telecom services in border communities and mark another step toward deeper digital integration across the region.

👉🏾 Do you think cross-border frequency coordination can really improve telecom services for local communities? Share your thoughts in the comments.