You might have noticed an unexpected roadblock if you’ve recently updated the My Airtel app on your Android phone. The app now refuses to let you in if you have ‘Developer options’ enabled. This change, rolled out on August 14, has triggered a wave of frustration among users across Africa, with reports pouring in from Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Malawi, and Nigeria. The issue has been widely discussed on X, where users are venting their exasperation.
Developer options, for those unfamiliar, are like the secret sauce for tech enthusiasts and developers, offering advanced settings for everything from USB debugging to visual rendering. While these settings are incredibly useful, they can also expose your device to potential security risks if not handled carefully. This seems to be the logic behind Airtel’s decision to restrict access to their app for users who have Developer options enabled. But the execution of this decision has left many scratching their heads.
Hello, This is due to a security feature recently deployed on the Airtel App. ^Lulu
— Airtel Kenya (@AIRTEL_KE) August 28, 2024
The error message that users are greeted with is a blunt one: “We are unable to proceed. We have detected that the ‘Developer options’ is enabled on your device which is trying to access the Airtel Selfcare App. This poses a security risk to your online transactions and data.” In essence, Airtel is telling its tech-savvy users to choose between their preferred settings and accessing the app.
Reactions on X capture the growing discontent. One user lamented, “Airtel have updated the My Airtel app, you can’t access with developer options enabled,” complete with a pair of facepalm emojis for good measure. Another user directly called out Airtel Kenya, saying, “Sort your app, it keeps telling me to switch off developer settings. It’s the only app asking me to do this. I need my developer setting on.”
The frustration is palpable, especially when considering that other mobile money and banking apps, such as MySafaricom and M-PESA, don’t impose similar restrictions. “My Airtel app just bricked itself after an update coz I have Developer Options turned on in my settings. Like yea security blah blah. But this is so lame! Now I have to use USSD like a grandmother?” questioned a perplexed user from Zambia.
Even more frustrating is Airtel’s customer support response — or lack thereof. Instead of offering a technical explanation or a workaround, they seem to be sticking to a script, asking users to simply “turn off Developer options.” This has only added fuel to the fire. One particularly exasperated user remarked, “It is us more technical people who are more driven to use your app.”
. @Airtel_Ug not you too refusing me to use the app because Developer options are enabled, a change that has come in today
It is us more technical people who are more driven to use your shitty app#GeekWoes pic.twitter.com/UqfXVCzWQS
— Stephen S. Musoke – Homo sapiens aedifex Xennial (@ssmusoke) August 17, 2024
As the issue continues to spread across Africa, there’s no way to confirm exactly which regions are affected or what’s triggering this unexpected glitch. What’s clear, however, is that Airtel’s latest update to the My Airtel app has created a significant headache for its more technically inclined customers, who are left wondering why they’re being singled out.
So, if you’re an Airtel user who relies on Developer options, you might want to think twice before updating the app to the latest version. For now, it seems that Airtel has chosen to prioritize security over convenience — though, judging by the outcry, they may need to rethink that balance soon. Or maybe it’s just a glitch.
Until the dust settles, expect more frustrated posts on social media and, perhaps, a few creative workarounds from the community.
