15 October 2025
Nokia has announced the continuation of its role as Vodafone’s strategic partner in Europe and Africa, reaffirming its commitment through a five-year radio access network (RAN) investment program.
This extension follows Nokia’s recent agreement with VodafoneThree, part of Europe's largest privately funded telecommunications infrastructure project. The partnership aims to support Vodafone’s vision of delivering advanced connectivity solutions across the two continents, fostering an inclusive and sustainable digital society.
Under the renewed agreement, Nokia will supply its industry-leading, energy-efficient AirScale RAN equipment, including Massive MIMO radios, baseband units, and remote radio head (RRH) solutions powered by ReefShark System-on-Chip technology. These solutions are designed to significantly boost network performance, efficiency, and reliability. Notably, Nokia will deploy Africa’s first 5G Dual-Band Massive MIMO Radio, enhancing coverage and capacity while reducing space and energy consumption.
Additionally, Nokia will implement its MantaRay NM, an AI-powered intelligent network management system that offers a unified view for monitoring and optimizing network performance. The company’s ongoing partnerships with Vodacom Group and Safaricom Group in Ethiopia, Kenya, and South Africa further strengthen its footprint in the region.
“We are delighted to extend our partnership with Vodafone, Vodacom, and its affiliates to build future-proof 5G standalone networks across Europe and Africa. This agreement underscores the strength of our connectivity solutions, which help our customers respond to future demands as the AI supercycle accelerates,” said Mark Atkinson, Head of RAN at Nokia.
