Johannesburg, South Africa, 29 January 2025 – African digital transformation firm Phungela has announced a strategic partnership with global airport operations technology provider AeroCloud, under which Phungela will act as the local delivery partner for the rollout of cloud-native airport solutions across the African continent.

 

The partnership brings together Phungela’s regional delivery capability and market expertise with AeroCloud’s established airport operations platform. AeroCloud currently supports operations at more than 80 airports worldwide, is used by over 78 airlines, and underpins airport environments handling approximately 360 million passengers each year.

 

Under the agreement, the two companies aim to support African airports in moving away from legacy systems towards more agile, data-driven and predictive operating models. The approach is intended to improve operational efficiency, passenger flow and resilience, while unlocking additional capacity without requiring significant new infrastructure investment.

 

Phungela will be responsible for local market engagement, implementation, service delivery and ongoing support for airports across Africa. AeroCloud will provide its cloud-native hardware and software platform, designed to optimise core airport operational functions and enable real-time visibility and coordination across airport stakeholders.

 

The partnership is positioned to deliver end-to-end digital transformation, supporting improved decision-making and more coordinated airport operations as passenger volumes and operational complexity continue to increase across the region.

 

Nkululeko Mhlaba, Chief Executive Officer at Phungela, said the collaboration strengthens the company’s role within Africa’s aviation ecosystem. He noted that efficient, predictive and scalable airport operations are increasingly critical, and that combining local aviation insight with cloud-native technology allows airports to modernise operations in a practical and scalable manner.

 

AeroCloud’s platform supports functions including stand and gate management, passenger flow optimisation and real-time operational decision-making. The system is designed to help airport teams improve performance and unlock capacity without large capital expenditure.

 

George Richardson, CEO and Co-Founder of AeroCloud, said the partnership reflects the importance of local delivery capability in airport digital transformation. He added that Phungela’s regional understanding and implementation expertise complement AeroCloud’s technology, supporting airport operators as they transition towards more connected and resilient operations.

 

The partnership also reflects a shared focus on building local capability, developing long-term relationships with airport stakeholders and supporting the continued growth and connectivity of Africa’s aviation sector.