Vodacom Group has entered a landmark strategic partnership with Google Cloud that will fast-track the pan-African telecom giant’s digital transformation and bring cutting-edge artificial intelligence services to millions of customers across the continent.
Announced today, the collaboration will see Vodacom migrate its vast data estate onto Google Cloud’s secure, scalable infrastructure and deploy Google’s most advanced generative AI tools – including the Gemini, Veo, and Imagen models – to reinvent everything from network operations to customer experiences.
Vodacom CEO Shameel Joosub described the deal as far more than a technology upgrade. “This is a deep commitment to Africa’s digital revolution,” he said. “By embedding Google Cloud’s data analytics and generative AI into the heart of our business, we are modernising our infrastructure and fundamentally changing how we operate.
Most importantly, we are building solutions that tackle Africa’s unique challenges and opportunities, making the transformative power of AI real and accessible for consumers and businesses alike.”
Maureen Costello, Vice President for UK, Ireland and Sub-Saharan Africa at Google Cloud, welcomed the partnership: “We are proud to power Vodacom’s ambitious vision. By combining our leading data cloud and the latest Gemini models with Vodacom’s unrivalled reach, we are bringing world-class AI closer to the people of Africa than ever before.”
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The partnership rests on three core pillars:
-Data modernisation: Vodacom will consolidate its fragmented data platforms into Google Cloud’s BigQuery, creating a single, real-time source of truth that sharpens decision-making and underpins large-scale AI deployment.
-Rapid AI rollout: Using Google Cloud’s Vertex AI platform and Gemini models, Vodacom will optimise network performance, deliver hyper-personalised customer care, and strengthen fraud detection across its operations.
-Africa-first innovation: The companies will co-develop next-generation products, with early focus on fintech services to drive financial inclusion, enterprise-grade solutions for African businesses, and new consumer experiences in education and content accessibility.
The agreement extends an existing global strategic relationship between Vodafone Group – Vodacom’s majority shareholder – and Google Cloud, ensuring enterprise-grade security and reliability as the technologies are rolled out market by market.
With Africa’s young, fast-growing population and rapidly expanding digital economy, the Vodacom-Google Cloud alliance is poised to become one of the continent’s most significant drivers of AI-enabled growth in the coming years.
