Airtel AI Spam Alert Service Flags 9.6 Million Spam Attempts in Two Months

LAGOS, NIGERIA – Airtel Nigeria, a leading telecommunications provider and a subsidiary of Airtel Africa, has revealed that its AI-powered Spam Alert Service detected and flagged over 9.6 million spam messages between March 13 and May 20, 2025.

This development underscores Airtel’s commitment to shielding customers from unsolicited and potentially fraudulent communications.

Designed to analyze traffic patterns and identify irregularities, Airtel’s AI Spam Alert Service marked 9,667,008 SMS messages as suspected spam during its first two months of operation. Within this figure, 528,080 were identified as on-net (Airtel-to-Airtel) spam messages, while a significant 9,138,928 originated off-net (from other networks).

The numbers highlight both the scope of the spam issue and the efficiency of Airtel’s AI infrastructure.

In response to the announcement, Airtel Nigeria CEO Dinesh Balsingh emphasized the company’s unwavering focus on customer protection.

“This milestone demonstrates the strength of our AI-driven infrastructure in combating the growing menace of spam and scam calls. At Airtel Nigeria, we are focused on connecting Nigerians and ensuring their safety and confidence while using our network”, he said.

Mr. Balsingh further highlighted the importance of trust in digital communication and Airtel’s continued investment in adaptive technologies.

“We understand that trust is the cornerstone of digital communication. That’s why we’ve 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 noted.

The Spam Alert Service is a flagship part of Airtel Nigeria’s broader agenda to integrate artificial intelligence across its offerings. The goal is to provide smarter, more secure user experiences for customers nationwide.

Launched on March 13, 2025, the Spam Alert Service is a free, innovative solution that alerts users in real-time about suspected spam SMS messages.

It relied on over 250 analytical parameters to detect threats and is available to all Airtel subscribers, whether using smartphones or feature phones.