Vodafone partners Statistical Service on “big data for good” initiative

Vodafone is partnering the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) to launch a not-for-profit initiative aimed at using mobile-derived customer insights to make better predictions for sustainable development.
The global concept of using data from mobile networks to make life-saving decisions has become very critical, especially in a world that continues to be transformed by technology every day. In view of this, Vodafone Ghana, Vodafone Group Foundation, GSS and Flowminder – a non-profit organisation – have come together to lead the way in using anonymised data to track trends in population movement. This is then analysed for purposes of decision-making for the health, agriculture and transportation sectors, among others.
Vodafone sees this partnership as one that will support Ghana to use valuable metrics in making better analyses and predictions for the greater good of all. The initiative is also expected to help the country to better measure the Sustainable Development Goal indicators.
Group External Affairs Head of Vodafone, Joakim Reiter said: “We are leading the way in supporting Ghana’s drive to undertake significant reforms to meet the Sustainable Development Goals. With close to five billion telecommunication subscribers globally, the power of the mobile phone cannot be underestimated.
“Mobile data is now dictating the pace by helping countries and organisations make better analyses and predictions and Ghana is in a unique position to become a trailblazer across the continent. Our partnership with the Statistical Service, Vodafone Foundation and Flowminder is one that will ultimately prove why data from mobile networks can become a force for the good of society.”
The Acting Government Statistician, Baah Wadieh said: “Our stock-in-trade is to produce big and relevant data that inures to the benefit of the country and its people. We have seen the opportunities and benefits of using Call Data Records to create transformation in many countries across the world and we are in no doubt that this initiative will transform how socially impacting interventions are made in Ghana.”
The GSS will ultimately take ownership of the project with data reports from Vodafone Ghana, whilst Flowminder will ensure an effective mechanism is in place to mine and analyse the information for significant public benefit. Ultimately, the Ghana government could look to engage more mobile networks to offer a greater pool of information for the country.
This not for profit initiative is a programme of the Vodafone Group Foundation’s Connecting for Good initiative and is also receiving generous funding from the Hewlett Packard Foundation