Nokia, a Finnish telecommunications infrastructure and technology company, has signed a multi-year agreement with SAP, the German enterprise software company, to migrate its ERP landscape using the RISE with SAP methodology, with SAP S/4HANA hosted on Microsoft Azure. The agreement was concluded at the end of 2025.
Nokia has been an SAP customer for decades and has been running a program to consolidate multiple ERP systems into a unified SAP S/4HANA environment. The new agreement formalizes that work within SAP's structured cloud migration framework, which combines a standardized methodology, integrated tools and expert guidance to move organizations from legacy ERP environments to cloud-hosted SAP. Under the arrangement, SAP will operate and manage the SAP S/4HANA environment in the cloud, shifting Nokia's internal focus from infrastructure management to business outcomes.
Nokia already uses several SAP solutions in this environment, including SAP S/4HANA for central finance, SAP Master Data Governance, SAP Extended Warehouse Management, SAP Global Trade Services and SAP S/4HANA Cloud for advanced ATP. AI capabilities embedded in SAP's cloud applications are expected to be added progressively as the migration advances.
Manos Raptopoulos, Global President Customer Success Europe, APAC, Middle East and Africa and Member of the Extended Board at SAP SE, described how the methodology applies to Nokia's situation:
"Nokia's decision reflects a clear commitment to business-led transformation. RISE with SAP Methodology provides Nokia with a structured road map, integrated toolchain and continuous access to innovation. It enables the company to modernize its ERP landscape while keeping a clean core and building a strong foundation for enterprise AI."
Nokia already runs parts of its SAP landscape on Azure, and consolidating onto a single cloud platform is expected to improve performance, security and operational resilience. Microsoft will work alongside SAP and Nokia during the migration and during ongoing optimization after go-live.
Marek Očkay, VP and Global Head of IT Procurement and Vendor Management at Nokia, said the agreement extends work already underway:
"This agreement builds on our existing work with SAP and Microsoft and supports Nokia's ambition to secure how we run our core business operations. By applying RISE with SAP Methodology on Microsoft Azure, we are strengthening a structured and future ready path for business growth, one that simplifies our ERP landscape, enables continuous innovation and strengthens our commitment for AI driven processes."
Joacim Damgard, CVP for Europe North at Microsoft, framed the agreement as an example of how the three companies' technologies combine for large-scale enterprise programs:
"This collaboration demonstrates how cloud platforms, enterprise applications and AI can come together to support complex, global business transformations. By running SAP S/4HANA on Azure within the RISE with SAP journey, Nokia is creating a scalable and secure foundation for continuous innovation."
