By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
Airtel
Zambia PLC has held a high-level engagement with the Zambia Cybersecurity
Agency as part of efforts to align initiatives aimed at strengthening
cybersecurity and protecting consumers in 2026.
The
meeting brought together Airtel Zambia Managing Director Hussam Baday and
members of the company’s senior management team with the Director General of
the Zambia Cybersecurity Agency, Dr. Schmidt Chintu, to discuss areas of
collaboration that can deliver tangible benefits to Airtel’s subscriber base.
Discussions
focused on reinforcing national cybersecurity efforts, safeguarding customer
information and building trust in digital platforms. Airtel reaffirmed its
commitment to working closely with the Agency to support the protection of
personal data and the integrity of digital services across the country.
During
the session, Airtel briefed the Agency on its ongoing consumer protection
measures, including the implementation of SMS spam alerts as a first-phase
intervention designed to help customers identify potential scam messages. The
company indicated that a second phase of the initiative will further enhance
these measures, with plans to actively block certain scam-related and
unsolicited communications.
Airtel
also highlighted its continued network expansion programme, noting that the
rollout of more than 400 network towers will be critical in extending
connectivity, onboarding more users onto digital platforms and improving access
to reliable network services. The expansion is expected to particularly benefit
communities and individuals who have previously been vulnerable to fraud and
related digital risks.
Both
parties expressed optimism about sustained collaboration, underscoring the
shared goal of advancing a safer, more inclusive and trusted digital ecosystem
in Zambia.
