By Kingsley Samuel
Nigeria’s increasing exposure to spam and fraudulent calls is reflecting a deeper trust crisis in mobile communication, as users struggle to distinguish between legitimate calls and potential scams, a new report has shown.
According to Truecaller’s 2025 Spam and Fraud Insights report released in early 2026, Nigeria recorded the highest level of spam calls in Africa, with 51 per cent of all unknown calls identified as spam or fraudulent within the year under review.
The report indicates that the growing volume of unsolicited calls is not only a security concern but also a behavioural shift, as many users are now increasingly reluctant to answer unfamiliar numbers.
A breakdown of the data shows that telecom and operator-related outreach accounts for the largest share of spam calls in Nigeria at 35 per cent, followed by sales and telemarketing at 10 per cent, while scams represent six per cent.
The report noted that the overlap between legitimate service messages and unverified third-party communications has worsened user distrust in phone-based communication.
“When automated outreach from carriers and unverified agents dominates incoming calls, users can no longer easily distinguish between genuine service updates and fraudulent attempts,” the report stated.
Globally, the report highlighted similar trends, with Indonesia recording the highest spam rate at 79 per cent, followed by Chile at 70 percent, while Vietnam, Brazil and India completed the top five.It further observed that automated systems now account for a significant share of spam activity in several regions, particularly across South America and Southeast Asia.In Africa and the Middle East, Truecaller reported over 100 million monthly active users by late 2025, underscoring growing dependence on caller identification tools as spam levels rise.
Chief Executive Officer of Truecaller, Rishit Jhunjhunwala, said the trend reflects a breakdown in communication trust globally.“The scale of what we are seeing is concerning. Fraud, impersonation and scams are increasingly shaping how people experience phone communication,” he said.
He added that in some markets, most unknown calls are now ignored by default, creating new challenges for legitimate businesses and essential services that rely on voice communication.
The report warned that this growing distrust could have wider economic and social implications, as missed calls may affect healthcare access, delivery services, financial transactions and customer engagement.
Truecaller disclosed that it now serves more than 500 million monthly active users globally, with over one billion downloads since launch and billions of spam and fraud calls identified annually.
