Vodacom Group has announced a strategic collaboration with Google Cloud aimed at accelerating its digital transformation through advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence. The partnership will strengthen Vodacom’s core solutions and create a robust foundation for developing new, disruptive products and services tailored specifically for African markets.
Under the agreement, Vodacom will leverage Google Cloud’s secure, scalable infrastructure to unify its extensive data assets and apply generative AI models such as Gemini, Veo and Imagen across its operations. This integration is expected to boost operational efficiency and introduce new AI-driven services to millions of consumers across the continent.
“This collaboration is a deep commitment to Africa’s digital revolution,” said Shameel Joosub, CEO of Vodacom. “Integrating Google Cloud’s data and AI solutions into our business will modernise our infrastructure and fundamentally shift our operational paradigm. This collaboration is essential for us to build and deploy solutions that address the unique challenges and opportunities of the continent, ensuring the transformative power of AI is accessible to millions of customers and businesses across Africa.”
Maureen Costello, Vice President for UKI and SSA at Google Cloud, added, “Google Cloud is proud to support Vodacom in accelerating AI across Africa. By providing access to our most advanced generative AI models from Gemini and our leading data infrastructure, we are supporting Vodacom’s ambitious vision to build technology solutions that improve the lives of Africans.”
The collaboration rests on Three pillars that aim to create lasting value.
Data modernisation and unification
Vodacom will migrate and unify its critical data platforms onto Google Cloud’s data cloud, including BigQuery. This will enable real-time insights, stronger data governance, and a single, secure source of truth across the organisation, forming the core foundation required for deploying large-scale AI models.
Accelerated AI adoption across Africa
Through Google Cloud’s Vertex AI platform and Gemini models, Vodacom will rapidly infuse intelligent services into its products. This includes optimising network performance, delivering personalised AI-powered customer support, and combating fraud through advanced machine learning systems, bringing cutting-edge AI capabilities closer to African consumers and businesses.
Product innovation for the future
Vodacom will leverage Google Cloud’s AI to develop new solutions for the continent. Early focus areas include fintech services for broader financial inclusion, enterprise offerings, and improved consumer experiences.
