Rachel Njiru , Director OP Africa , Infobip , on why mobile network operators ( MNOs ), must primarily implement SMS firewall systems to secure their networks and customers .

Although many African enterprises have recently embarked on Digital Transformation journeys , A2P SMS messaging remains the most important channel for companies to interact with customers . It is expected that white route traffic will increase from an average of 61 % to 66 % by 2023 worldwide . Internet , media , financial and entertainment industry lead the pack with SMS volumes that will average more than 50 % contribution . Across Sub-Saharan Africa , mobile money is expected to shape the chunk of this traffic by 2024 with mobile money and RCS expected to grow by volumes and revenue according to a recent report by Analysys Mason group .

While Africa has a significant mobile phone penetration rate , the uptake of smartphones remains relatively low due to prohibitive pricing and low rates of Internet

Rachel Njiru , Director OP Africa , Infobip penetration in some parts of the continent . So , while OTT channels are beginning to focus on securing a greater role in A2P communication in Africa , the market remains restricted .

In the East African region , this is especially true for countries such as Ethiopia , Somalia and Sudan where feature phone penetration is high , meaning that OTT channels are unlikely to play a central role in business to customer communication in the near future . Thus , SMS still plays a critical role in the delivery of this type of traffic , even amid the COVID-19 pandemic which spurred an increase in the utilisation of online and B2B services .

Automated messaging

A2P messaging allows brands to connect with customers , whether via SMS or other chat applications , in an automated manner through specialised software and messaging gateways . The need for this solution arose from businesses seeking the ability to communicate with a large number of people , without typing out each

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