Airtel Rwanda has launched what it refers to as "Africa's first Spam Alert Service," an innovative artificial intelligence-based solution aimed at detecting and highlighting questionable messages. This feature was announced during a media briefing held on Thursday, July 17, at Zaria Court.
The service will mark suspicious spam messages with clear warnings, enabling users to identify fake activity before responding. The system is currently operational for SMS, with intentions to expand its reach to voice calls and social media platforms in the near future.
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Emmanuel Hamez, Managing Director of Airtel Rwanda, stated, 'Airtel is strongly dedicated to preventing fraud from the beginning.' This begins with accurate SIM card registration. We ask for an identification document, a confirmed photograph, and a real address for each user. Additionally, we have implemented fingerprint authentication via NIDA at almost all our 3,000 registration locations.
Hamez noted that fraud has grown more complex, frequently taking advantage of human weaknesses and emotional pressure. "Many Rwandans have gotten messages pretending to be from a family member in distress, requesting money. I've even received one," he mentioned. "It's not always about being gullible; we all have moments of distraction, and con artists capitalize on that."
The updated system does not completely prevent messages, as certain phrases such as "send me money" may be part of normal conversations. Rather, the AI identifies potentially dangerous patterns and highlights them with a notice, prompting users to stop and confirm before proceeding.
The tool, Hamez mentioned, was created in partnership with security organizations such as the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) and the National Cyber Security Authority (NCSA). It has been operating discreetly for two weeks.
The Division Manager for Cybercrime at RIB, Akilimali Shema, mentioned that fraudulent activities are advancing with technological progress. "Individuals have shared instances of getting calls that closely resemble their own family members. The same voice and tone were used. They weren't aware it was a deepfake. This is why we are focusing on AI. While prevention is crucial, awareness serves as the initial line of protection."
In a statement directed at scammers, Shema was direct: "Stop what you're doing. Choose an honest job. We have solid collaborations and will take legal action to the maximum possible."
During the question and answer session, participants expressed worries about fraudulent activities shifting from text messages to phone calls or social media platforms. Mark Muyenzi, Airtel's IT Director, reassured everyone that growth is planned. "We started with SMS since it can reach both smartphones and basic phones," he mentioned. "Voice and social media channels will come next."
Muyenzi admitted that scammers are also evolving, including employing AI tools themselves. "This is a battle of advancements. The technology from both sides is progressing. However, we are dedicated to remaining ahead by regularly updating our settings and broadening security across all platforms."
Hamez ended with an update regarding Airtel's network growth, highlighting recent improvements to4G sitesIn Kigali and across the country, improvements are anticipated by the end of the month. "We have achieved speeds of up to 100 Mbps. I can confidently state that our network is the finest in Kigali."
While the main purpose of the event was to address fraud, Hamez used the opportunity to highlight Airtel's larger goal: "We are no longer simply linking people — we are connecting systems. The future lies in machine-to-machine communication. And we are developing the infrastructure to ensure its security."
The updated system operates directly through the network, eliminating the need for any application installation, and is automatically enabled for every Airtel customer. It serves as an early alert mechanism to assist users in avoiding expensive errors, ranging from phishing attacks and fraudulent promotions to impersonation scams that appear as messages from known sources.
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Tagged: Rwanda, ICT and Telecom, Central Africa, East Africa, Economy, Business and Finance
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