anytime anyone on the internet is asking for money / goods they are a scammer, period. Please post the email address so others can be warned.
"She" does not have a phone because "He" does not want you to know he is a him, or hear is Western Africa accent when he speaks. Additionally, if (S)He has internet access, there are half a dozen or more video / voice programs ( such as Skype, yahoo IM, gTalk, and a lot of other localized favorites) that they can call on. (S)He does not need a phone to talk to you voice to voice. But some of the better scammers do employ actors to make you think that you are talking to a real female person.
Stop all communications with the scammer. Do not tell him you know he is a scammer, do not tell him he is posted here. Just sort of disappear.
Read this to learn more about romance scams :
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=3607 and
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=25