Spam calls in Africa are rising sharply as automated systems linked to telecom networks are increasingly used to send large volumes of unwanted and fraudulent calls across the continent.
A new report by Truecaller shows that spam calls in Africa have entered what it describes as a “machine era,” where technology is used to scale up scams and unsolicited calls. The report measures “spam intensity” as the percentage of unknown calls marked as spam.
Nigeria Hit the Hardest
Nigeria is the most affected country, with 51% of unknown calls identified as spam. This places it among the highest globally. Ethiopia follows with 49%, while South Africa records 30%. Kenya and Ghana have lower levels at 15% and 11%.
The data shows that these spam calls are widespread, but the level of impact varies by country.
A key finding in the report is the strong link between telecom systems and spam activity. In Nigeria, about 35% of spam calls are connected to telecom-related services.
Across the continent, many of these calls are generated by automated systems operating at large network levels. These systems often make it difficult for users to tell the difference between real service messages and spam.
Different Patterns Across African Markets
Unlike other regions where financial scams are more common, spam calls are more often tied to telecom promotions and service-related messages.
However, South Africa shows a different pattern. There, insurance-related calls account for 14% of spam, while financial services make up 10%, showing a wider mix of targets.
Rising User Awareness and Future Risks
The report also notes that Truecaller’s user base in the Middle East and Africa has grown to over 100 million monthly active users by late 2025. This growth reflects increasing concern about spam and fraud.
Looking ahead, experts warn that spam calls could become more advanced. Future scams may use artificial intelligence to create realistic voice calls and smarter tactics to avoid detection.
