Collaboration aims to modernise Vodacom’s data platforms and scale AI-driven services across the group’s African markets
Vodacom has signed a multi-year strategic collaboration with Google Cloud to overhaul its data infrastructure and expand its use of AI across its African footprint. The agreement will see the operator migrate and unify core data platforms on Google Cloud while incorporating the company’s generative AI models, including Gemini, Veo and Imagen, into business operations.
Vodacom said the partnership is intended to support its wider digital transformation programme, with a focus on improving internal processes and enabling new services for consumers and enterprises. According to the operator, the collaboration will provide the foundation for real-time analytics, strengthened data governance and a single environment for large-scale AI deployments.
Vodacom Group CEO Shameel Joosub said the initiative represented “more than a technology upgrade”. He added: “It is a deep commitment to Africa’s digital revolution. Integrating Google Cloud’s data and AI solutions into our business will modernise our infrastructure and fundamentally shift our operational paradigm.”
He added the partnership would help Vodacom “unlock new opportunities for innovation”, citing applications in network performance, customer care and fraud prevention.
Google Cloud will supply infrastructure and AI development tools through Vertex AI, alongside access to its latest generative models. Maureen Costello, VP for UKI and Sub-Saharan Africa at Google Cloud described the collaboration as “a deep commitment to the continent’s digital revolution” and said Google Cloud aimed to help Vodacom build services that further financial inclusion and expand access to education and digital content.
Vodacom plans to use the partnership to accelerate product development in fintech, enterprise solutions and consumer services. The operator said the agreement forms part of a broader strategy aligned with Vodafone’s existing relationship with Google Cloud, which focuses on scaling digital tools and providing enterprise-grade security across the group’s markets.
The two companies expect the modernised data environment and AI capabilities to support new service creation over the coming years, although detailed timelines for product launches were not disclosed.
