Airtel Uganda was recognized for excellence, earning the Best PR Campaign of the Year award at the prestigious Uganda Marketing Excellence Awards (UMEAs) yesterday at Kampala Serena Hotel. This award recognizes the efforts Airtel Uganda took in managing the crisis that came from Internet backlash led by Dr Jim Spire Ssentongo about Airtel Money’s alleged fraudulent activities.
The recognition further highlights Airtel Money’s renewed focus on openness, accountability, and faster response to customer concerns. It marks an important moment for the brand, reflecting the work done in recent months to improve how customers are supported, especially in high-stress situations.
Commenting on the recognition, Airtel Uganda, PR and Communications Manager, David Birungi, highlighted the company’s efforts in fronting customers’ needs above all else.
“This recognition affirms the direction we’ve taken as a team,” said Birungi. “Customers want to feel heard and taken seriously. This award shows that our efforts to be more present, more accessible, and more transparent are making a real difference.”
In the past months, Airtel Money has invested heavily in strengthening customer engagement and combating fraud. They launched Africa’s First AI Spam Alert service, which uses AI to detect spam messages and alert customers. This service has since detected over 205 million Spam messages in Africa. Additionally, customers can access the My Airtel App to have control over their transactions with convenience.
The company’s leadership has also made themselves available on public platforms to answer questions directly, offered personal messages of reassurance to affected customers, and started shaping clearer processes for reporting lost lines and suspected fraud.
One of the biggest lessons from recent feedback was that many people weren’t aware of the proper steps to take when their lines were compromised. In response, Airtel Money launched a drive to improve public awareness and rolled out internal training to ensure staff can guide customers quickly and confidently.
“The work doesn’t stop with the award,” Birungi added. “It motivates us to keep building simple, reliable ways for customers to reach us and get the help they need without confusion or delay.”
The recognition celebrates Airtel Money’s shift toward a more open, community-centred way of working, one that the company says will continue guiding its decisions going forward.
