• Zamani will deploy A2P monetization and SMS firewall solutions
• The partnership targets fraud linked to gray routes and unpaid traffic
• Zamani holds 24.19% of Niger’s mobile subscribers

Niger’s mobile operator Zamani has selected digital solutions provider Hayo to optimize revenues from application-to-person (A2P) SMS traffic. Announced on February 3, the partnership aims to help the operator identify business SMS routed through unofficial channels to ensure proper billing.

The collaboration covers the deployment of A2P monetization tools and SMS firewall solutions designed to detect, block, and prevent fraudulent practices on Zamani’s network. It also includes tailored pricing strategies intended to stimulate legitimate traffic and target high-value over-the-top segments.

The move comes amid rising fraud in the telecommunications sector, particularly involving SMS traffic, which continues to generate significant revenue losses for operators. One of the main practices targeted is gray route fraud. According to the GSMA, this exploits the fact that international SMS can be routed through different pathways, each priced differently. Gray routes are especially common when there is a mismatch between international and domestic SMS termination rates, combined with the absence or weakness of an SMS firewall. In such cases, operators are not properly compensated for traffic delivery while still bearing signaling and network maintenance costs.

Securing this channel is increasingly important as thousands of A2P SMS messages are sent daily to subscribers who use their phone numbers to access online services and platforms such as Meta, Alibaba, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Temu, and TikTok, as well as services offered by local startups.

In a 2024 study, digital solutions provider Infobip said 48% of mobile operators worldwide had yet to deploy next-generation SMS firewalls to effectively protect business messaging. The company estimates global revenue losses linked to gray routes at $37 billion.

As of the end of June 2025, Zamani held a 24.19% share of Niger’s 17.35 million mobile subscribers, according to data from the Electronic Communications and Postal Regulatory Authority (ARCEP). The operator ranked second behind Airtel, which held 46.67%, and ahead of Moov Africa at 23.91% and Niger Télécoms at 5.24%. Zamani also controlled 18% of inbound international traffic and 14% of related revenues.

Isaac K. Kassouwi