MTN Group says it has supercharged its data processing capabilities to a record 22 billion records per day, following the completion of its Enterprise Value Analytics (EVA) 3.0 migration to Microsoft Azure.
The South African telecoms group that owns MTN Nigeria, claims that the upgrade cements the its position as operator of the largest telco cloud deployment in the Middle East and Africa.
The milestone marks a leap in scale for MTN’s data-driven operations, giving the company real-time visibility into customer behaviour, network performance, and service quality across its over 300 million subscribers spread across Africa and the Middle East, MTN Group says in a statement seen by Technology Times.
MTN says the ability to process 22 billion records daily positions the group to unlock new efficiencies in network management and customer engagement. The platform’s scale also enables smarter automation, predictive maintenance, and deeper insight into regional traffic patterns — all crucial for an operator managing data-intensive 4G and 5G networks across multiple countries.
Built on Azure Databricks and protected by Microsoft Defender, EVA 3.0 transforms how MTN handles massive volumes of data, turning complex analysis that once took hours into near-instant intelligence. The new system runs more than 800 analytics workflows fed by 1,700 live data streams, enabling the operator to anticipate service disruptions, personalise offers, and respond faster to emerging customer trends.
“Our customers expect reliability, relevance, and responsiveness in every interaction with us,” Nikos Angelopoulos, MTN Group Chief Information Officer says. “Understanding our vast amounts of data and extracting meaningful insights in a timely manner has always been central to how we deliver that experience.”
According to the MTN Group CIO, “with EVA 3.0, we’re expanding those capabilities — analysing information more quickly, applying intelligence more effectively, and safeguarding it through advanced cloud security. Working with Microsoft, we’ve built a resilient platform that supports responsible AI and ensures we continue to meet the evolving needs of our customers.”
MTN says the ability to process 22 billion records daily positions the group to unlock new efficiencies in network management and customer engagement. The platform’s scale also enables smarter automation, predictive maintenance, and deeper insight into regional traffic patterns — all crucial for an operator managing data-intensive 4G and 5G networks across multiple countries.
The upgrade, MTN says, reinforces its growing capacity as a cloud-capable telecoms player, underpinned by a workforce that has earned more than 1,350 Microsoft Azure certifications — the highest of any organisation in Africa. The operator’s Cloud Centre of Excellence is leveraging that expertise to replicate similar modernisation projects across MTN’s markets.
For Microsoft, the project illustrates how global infrastructure can empower regional innovation at scale.
“MTN’s adoption of Azure for its analytics backbone demonstrates what’s possible when global technology and local expertise work together,” Alkis Flemetakis, Telco Account Director at Microsoft adds. “This collaboration is unlocking deeper insights, strengthening data protection, and accelerating digital transformation across the continent.”
Rick Lievano, Microsoft’s Worldwide Chief Technology Officer for Telecommunications, adds that the platform “shows how analytics and AI can enable operators to optimise networks for efficiency and resilience, create new revenue streams, and enhance customer experience through personalisation and predictive services.”
Beyond the numbers, the telecoms group says that EVA 3.0 reflects its evolution from a connectivity provider into a data intelligence company driving Africa’s digital economy. By fusing telco-scale data with cloud-scale computing, the group is building the foundation for the next era of telecom innovation — one powered by speed, intelligence, and trust.
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