Nigeria has seen a sharp reduction in spam text messages, with an 84 percent drop reported since the rollout of Airtel Africa’s Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered spam detection system, known as Spam Alert.
The telecommunications company disclosed the development in a statement signed by its Vice President for Corporate Communications and CSR, noting that the system has proven effective in identifying and blocking fraudulent and unsolicited messages across its markets.
According to Airtel, the free service has flagged more than 205 million spam messages over the past six months across 13 African countries where the network operates. The data revealed that Kenya accounted for the highest volume with 68 million flagged messages, followed by Tanzania with 47 million and Zambia with 33 million.
In Nigeria, the sharp decline is seen as a significant boost to consumer protection efforts, particularly as fraudulent SMS schemes have long targeted mobile users with scams ranging from fake promotions to phishing attempts.
Industry observers say the success of Spam Alert highlights the growing role of AI-driven solutions in tackling cyber and communication-related fraud. Airtel Africa stated that it will continue refining the system to improve accuracy and expand its reach, ensuring subscribers remain protected from evolving threats.
The deployment aligns with ongoing initiatives by regulators and mobile network operators across Africa to strengthen digital security, safeguard consumer trust, and improve the overall mobile experience.
