Kampala, Uganda — Airtel Mobile Commerce Uganda Limited has come under intense fire after releasing a statement on 11 August 2025 addressing widespread allegations about the safety of Airtel Money and the handling of customer complaints.
In the statement, the company insisted that “Airtel Money is safe and secure” and dismissed the allegations circulating on social media as “misleading, unwarranted, and calculated… to create needless worry or panic.” Airtel urged customers “to disregard and ignore these exaggerated statements” and assured the public that its operations are regulated by the Bank of Uganda.
The company outlined procedures for customers who lose their phones or send money to the wrong number, stressing that users should “not save your PIN, security questions, and answers in your phone.” It also stated that “once a reversal has been initiated… the money is ‘frozen’ and settled upon receipt of a valid court order” and warned that “dishonest people abuse this good service by attempting to reverse payments for goods and services they have consumed.”
However, many customers have reacted angrily, accusing Airtel of avoiding responsibility for their losses. Social media has been flooded with accounts of people claiming their money disappeared from Airtel Money accounts, with no help or only frustrating responses from the company.
Activist Jim Spire Ssentongo has been at the forefront of an online campaign highlighting these complaints, sharing victim testimonies and calling for accountability. The hashtag #BoycottAirtelMoney has gained momentum, with some customers already switching to rival networks.
Critics say Airtel’s statement reads more like a defence of its image than a commitment to resolve customer grievances. “They are basically telling us the system is fine and it’s our fault,” one frustrated user posted. “Meanwhile, people are losing millions and getting no real help.”
With public trust shaken and calls for a boycott growing louder, Airtel now faces the challenge of proving that its reassurances are more than just words.
