Why digital innovation drives a cashless economy

AS the race to technological advancement continues to reshape the flow of money across the economy, Airtel Tanzania is bringing a state-of-the-art solution, resulting in more simplicity and reduction of the risk of being tailgated in traffic by alleged criminals as the risk increases when customers carry loads of cash and lack of knowledge in scammers’ activities.

This argument is backed by the reality that scammers have been making advancements behind the scenes to research and better understand the tech building blocks in mobile security, creating leeway to scam and steal money from unsuspecting customers’ mobile money accounts.

Some of the most common approaches used by mobile fraudsters include scam calls and messaging, with the sender posing as a customer service representative or authorised personnel.

Others go as far as constructing links embedded with fake information about lottery wins to catch unsuspecting individuals off guard and steal their money.

According to the Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority’s (TCRA) Communication Statistics Report for the quarter ending June 2025, fraud attempts decreased by 19 per cent, from 17,152 cases in March 2025 to 13,837 cases by June 2025. These are not just numbers.

They represent the efforts garnered by the government in collaboration with the mobile network operators to protect consumers from the threat of mobile fraudsters. In line with the government’s efforts on the Sitapeliki campaign, we launched the AI-powered Spam Alert–Kataa Matapeli service to revolutionise the approach used to alleviate mobile scams.

The Sitapeliki campaign is a bold step in reinforcing public trust in digital platforms and accelerating Tanzania’s shift toward a secure, cashless economy.

More importantly, it is a clear demonstration of Airtel’s support for the government’s broader national agenda to combat mobile fraud and promote safe digital adoption.

Through this innovation, Airtel has actively advanced the goals of the #SITAPELIKI campaign, a nationwide initiative led by the Ministry of Information, Communication and Information Technology and TCRA, aimed at raising awareness and empowering citizens against mobile fraud.

For Airtel, the rollout of the AI-powered Kataa Matapeli is more than a technological breakthrough; it is a practical way of empowering Airtel customers to make informed decisions and stay safe. Digital transformation cannot be achieved in silos. It requires the collaboration of regulators, operators, and citizens alike.

The government has shown leadership through campaigns like #SITAPELIKI, whereas the innovation of the Airtel AI-powered Spam Alert service complements this by giving people an intelligent, easyto-use tool to protect themselves in real time. This is where policy and innovation meet.

I would also like to stress that the Airtel Spam Alert service gives customers the capacity to verify the legitimacy of messages and it does so in a way that is accessible even to those using feature phones. A step that defines our goal of practising inclusion in action. The inclusion element cannot be overstated.

As Tanzania’s mobile and internet penetration deepens, especially into rural and low-literacy areas, so does the risk of exploitation. Taking note also that many users are now transitioning from feature phones to smartphones, this movement not only increases opportunity but also the risk of being scammed.

Solutions like Airtel Spam Alert, which leverage AI to analyse and classify messages based on historical data, have come at a better time. By empowering users to question suspicious messages and by making security simple and accessible, the Airtel Spam Alert service plays a critical role in strengthening digital confidence, especially among first-time users.

It serves as a reminder that the future of fintech and telecom growth depends not just on how fast we innovate, but how responsibly we do so to keep our customers safe. To demonstrate this impact, significant efforts to raise public awareness and encourage vigilance against suspicious calls and messages — supported by the Airtel Spam Alert service — have led to a notable reduction in fraud cases.

According to the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) Communication Statistics Report, these collective actions helped lower fraud attempts by 56 per cent, from 5,876 cases in March 2025 to 2,595 cases in June 2025.

To tackle current and future scam attempts, technological progress, fraudsters are also evolving behind the scenes.

This is why Airtel Tanzania continues to invest in intelligent systems, while also encouraging customers to remain alert and educate one another. Airtel, together with the government, we say ‘Kataa Matapeli’ to ensure mobile technology is not only empowering but also safe for every Tanzanian.

The journey to a cashless economy is not just about technology; we are proud of the Airtel Spam Alert-Kataa Matapeli campaign. We increase trust, protection and inclusion. And those will only come if we continue to put innovative, locallyrelevant solutions at the centre of our digital transformation.

● The writer is Airtel Tanzania the Director of Corporate Communications and Regulatory Affairs