Airtel Uganda has introduced Africa’s first AI-powered Spam Alert Service, making it the first telecom provider in East Africa to provide automated, network-level protection against fraudulent SMS messages. This is a significant step to improve digital safety.
Airtel Uganda announced on Wednesday that no app downloads or sign-ups are required for all Airtel subscribers to use the cutting-edge service. It analyses data points in real-time and operates in the background in silence to identify scams before they get to your inbox.
UGX 23 billion lost to mobile fraud in 2024
The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) reports that more than 60 percent of mobile customers receive scam texts every week and that UGX 23 billion was lost to mobile fraud in 2024 alone. The hardest harmed are vulnerable groups, particularly in rural places.
Airtel’s Spam Alert system tags suspicious messages with a prominent “SPAM ALERT” mark after using sophisticated artificial intelligence to scan over 250 factors. It uses an up-to-date blacklist of malicious URLs to identify harmful links.
“This isn’t just innovation—it’s protection,” said Soumendra Sahu, Airtel Uganda’s Managing Director. “We’re committed not only to connecting Ugandans but also to helping them navigate the digital world safely.”
“Timely innovation”
ICT Minister Dr. Chris Baryomunsi hailed the action as a “timely innovation” that advances Uganda’s goal of a digitally safe society.
George William Nyombi Thembo, executive director of UCC, said that scams frequently start with spam and praised Airtel’s proactive AI solution.
The AI is specifically designed for Uganda’s scam environment. It learns from regional fraud trends such as impersonation schemes, mobile money frauds, and phoney job promises. It gets better with each spam report.
With aspirations to spread throughout the continent, this innovative project makes Uganda the first Airtel Africa market to implement the service.