Airtel Nigeria Deploys AI To Combat Spam Threats

Airtel Nigeria has introduced an AI-powered Spam Alert Service to safeguard its subscribers in a decisive move against the growing menace of spam messages and SMS fraud.

This first-of-its-kind service in Africa is designed to provide real-time protection against unsolicited and potentially harmful SMS messages, reinforcing Airtel’s commitment to digital security.

The service, unveiled in Lagos, is automatically activated for all Airtel customers—both smartphone and feature phone users—at no extra cost. Without requiring any downloads or manual configurations, the AI-driven system scans and detects suspicious SMS activity, flagging messages as “Suspected SPAM.”

Nigeria has consistently ranked among the top spam-plagued countries globally. A 2019 Quartz study revealed that nine of the world’s top 20 spam-heavy nations are in Africa, with Nigeria being a major target.

As smartphone penetration grows, so does the risk of mobile scams, which frequently deceive users into sharing personal data or clicking fraudulent links.

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Hundreds of thousands of mobile users often receive unsolicited SMS or calls claiming to be from their network provider or government and offering irresistible benefits. In these communications, users are asked to click on links and provide personal information to claim the benefits. This action allows the scammer to gain access to users’ security information, which can then be used to commit fraud.

In response, Airtel Africa has developed the innovative AI-powered solution that classifies suspicious SMS messages as “Suspected SPAM.” Without reading specific SMS messages, the AI analyses in real time over 250 parameters, including the sender’s usage patterns such as SMS frequency and geographical spread of targets. The Airtel AI Spam Alert Service is designed to filter all SMS through a proprietary dual-layer protection: one layer at the network level and the other at the IT systems level, processing over 1.5 billion messages in 2 milliseconds

Additionally, the software alerts customers to malicious weblinks received via SMS. For this purpose, a centralized database of blacklisted URLs is maintained, and by scanning every SMS in real time the AI system can warn users against accidentally clicking on suspicious links.

Airtel Nigeria managing director and chief executive officer, Dinesh Balsingh, said; “Enhancing customer experience is our foremost priority, and we are proud to launch Africa’s first AI-powered spam alert solution. This is a gamechanger for the telecoms industry in Africa and as we move forward, we will continue to address customer challenges through proactive tech-driven solutions. We are proud to launch this innovative initiative in Nigeria, our largest market in Africa, while the other countries will launch in the coming months.”

Nigeria’s minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, who was also present at the launch, commended Airtel for its continued investment in Nigeria’s technology ecosystem and for specifically investing in a service that is geared towards enhancing online security for millions of Nigerians. “As we expand our digital infrastructure and prioritise digital literacy, solutions like Airtel AI Spam Alert Service will enforce the importance of leveraging artificial intelligence, not only for security but also for economy empowerment,” he said.

In his remarks, the executive vice chairman and chief executive officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr Aminu Maida, stated that: “The Airtel Spam Alert Service is of obvious benefit to the entire sector. Security is one of the major challenges to subscribers and such an innovative service from Airtel helps us tackle this issue while boosting consumer confidence.”