By Business Insider Correspondent, Arusha
The East African Community (EAC) is taking decisive steps to strengthen its One Network Area (ONA) framework, a move expected to revolutionise cross-border business by cutting communication costs and improving connectivity across the region.
Through the Eastern Africa Regional Digital Integration Project (EARDIP), consultations were held last month with governments, regulators and mobile operators to address gaps in the current roaming regime.
The outcome is a renewed push to make regional roaming more affordable, fair, and sustainable – unlocking major opportunities for businesses operating across borders.
“East Africans should be able to move, trade, and connect without worrying about exorbitant phone bills,” said Dr. Franklin Makokha of the Communications Authority of Kenya. “This is about making regional integration real in people’s daily lives.”
A boost for cross-border trade
For traders, manufacturers, and service providers, lower roaming costs will reduce one of the hidden costs of doing business across borders.
A truck driver moving goods from Dar es Salaam to Kigali, a wholesaler in Goma ordering supplies from Nairobi, or a Tanzanian fintech startup serving customers in Uganda will now communicate more cheaply and efficiently.
Business associations across the region have long argued that high communication costs were a barrier to trade, particularly for SMEs with tight operating margins.
With the EAC Common Market Protocol already guaranteeing free movement of goods and services, an affordable digital layer is expected to increase intra-regional trade volumes.
Opportunities for telecoms, digital startups
For mobile network operators, the revised ONA framework introduces predictability and fairness in pricing, tackling issues such as SIM boxing and market dominance by larger players.
This creates a more level playing field, encouraging investments in network expansion and innovation.
Emerging sectors such as fintech, e-commerce, and digital health also stand to benefit.
Lower data roaming charges mean startups can scale their services regionally, targeting a customer base of over 300 million people without facing prohibitive communication costs.
“Closing the gaps in ONA will unlock vast opportunities for everyone, from the trader crossing a border to the student studying abroad,” said Ms. Julianne Mweheire of the Uganda Communications Commission.
Tanzania and regional impact
For Tanzania, which hosts the EAC headquarters in Arusha and serves as a trade gateway through Dar es Salaam and Tanga ports, the harmonised roaming regime is expected to strengthen its role as a regional logistics and business hub.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Somalia, the newest entrants to the EAC, have pledged to align with the ONA framework. Their inclusion is expected to further expand the market and create new business linkages in underconnected regions.
Consumer and investor confidence
For consumers, the impact is immediate: lower roaming costs mean better connectivity for travellers, cross-border workers, and students.
For investors, the move signals stronger regional integration and a commitment to harmonised regulation – key factors that reduce risk and attract capital.
The revised framework will also adapt to new technologies such as e-SIMs, IoT roaming, and data-driven services, ensuring the region remains competitive in the digital economy. By tackling affordability, fair usage, and consumer awareness, the EAC is positioning cheaper roaming not just as a convenience, but as a business enabler capable of boosting trade, investment, and innovation across East Africa.
