Airtel Nigeria, a telecom provider, announced that its AI-powered Spam Alert Service identified more than 9.6 million potential spam SMS messages between March 13 and May 20, 2025.
The company revealed this in a statement issued in Lagos on Monday, emphasising that the service aims to protect customers from unsolicited and potentially fraudulent communications.
Within the first two months since its launch in March 2025, the system flagged a total of 9,667,008 SMS messages as spam. Of these, 528,080 originated from Airtel’s own network (on-net), while 9,138,928 came from external networks (off-net), highlighting the widespread nature of spam threats from outside sources.
Airtel’s commitment to enhancing digital safety
Airtel Nigeria reiterated its dedication to improving customer experience and digital safety through innovative solutions like the spam alert system.
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“At Airtel Nigeria, we are focused on connecting Nigerians and ensuring their safety and confidence while using our network,” he remarked.
He continued, “We understand that trust is the cornerstone of digital communication. That is why we are invested heavily in intelligent systems that not only detect potential threats but also learn and evolve with data.”
“As threats become more sophisticated, so will our solutions. As a company, we remain focused on leading the industry in innovation and customer satisfaction, ensuring that every Nigerian can enjoy a safer and smarter digital experience,” he added.
Nigerian financial institutions lost ₦52.26 billion to fraud in 2024
Financial institutions in Nigeria lost ₦52.26 billion to fraud in 2024, a substantial increase from ₦17.67 billion in 2023, according to the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS). Over the previous five years, fraud-related losses have increased by 350 percent, from ₦11.61 billion in 2020 to ₦52.26 billion in 2024.
The financial impact has increased significantly even though the number of reported fraud cases has decreased by 31 percent, from 101,624 in 2020 to 70,111 in 2024.
Airtel Kenya’s AI-powered Spam Alert Service launch
Airtel has launched its AI-powered Spam Alert Service in a number of its markets in Africa, with Kenya being the latest. The launch of this initiative was announced by Airtel Kenya last week.
This innovative service, which doesn’t require any additional application downloads and is automatically enabled for all Airtel customers, will provide real-time alerts for suspected spam SMS messages to users of Airtel smartphones and feature phones.
The AI evaluates more than 250 parameters in real time, including the sender’s usage patterns, such as the frequency of SMS messages and the geographic distribution of targets, without having to read individual SMS messages.
In keeping with its brand promise to be a forward-thinking, customer-focused business, the company is using cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence to improve its customer experience.
As more and more people in Kenya own mobile phones, spam messages have become a common problem, potentially defrauding a growing number of gullible people.
Airtel Kenya’s MD, Ashish Malhotra, Communications Authority Director General David Mugonyi, and CS, Ministry of ICT & the Digital Economy Hon. William Kabogo were all present at the launch.
Airtel Kenya CEO, Ashish Malhotra, stated, “At Airtel, we are committed to providing innovative solutions that enhance our customer experience. The AI spam alert service is the first of its kind in the Kenyan market, and it fosters our dedication to groundbreaking solutions aimed at a better customer experience. With the new AI-powered spam alert, we are enabling our customers to be more vigilant to fraud attempts on their phones and to have a better experience of our services.”