Airtel spam alert service detects over 205m SMS in 6 months

A new report from Airtel Africa reveals that its AI-powered Spam Alert service has detected over 205 million spam SMS messages in 13 of its markets in just six months.

The free service, which automatically flags unwanted texts with a "SPAM Alert" prefix, helps customers avoid scams and unsolicited messages without needing to download a separate app.

Kenya saw the highest volume of spam, with 68 million messages flagged, followed by Tanzania with 47 million and Zambia with 33 million.
Since its launch, the service has successfully reduced spam messages by an average of 12% across the region. Nigeria, in particular, has seen a remarkable 84% drop in spam.

Airtel Africa’s CEO, Sunil Taldar, highlighted the company’s commitment to using advanced technology to improve customer experience and network security, stating, "We are proud to pioneer an advanced tech solution powered by AI in tackling spam messages that are a major concern in Africa as smartphone penetration increases."

The service uses artificial intelligence to analyze sender patterns and message frequency in real time, automatically identifying and flagging potential spam. It has been rolled out in 13 of Airtel Africa’s 14 markets, with Seychelles coming soon.