Nigerians can now use Google AI in Yorùbá and Hausa

Nigeria’s language barriers are slowly coming to an end as Google expands its language support for its AI-powered Search features to include Yorùbá and Hausa. 

The update covers tools such as AI Overviews and AI Mode, allowing users to explore information and receive AI-generated summaries in their mother tongues.

This means Nigerians can now ask questions, explore complex topics, and receive quick summaries from Google Search in Yorùbá or Hausa through text or voice. 

According to Google, this change opens up AI-powered search experiences to more users, from a student in Kano asking questions in Hausa to a trader in Ibadan seeking advice in Yorùbá.

Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Communications and Public Affairs Manager for West Africa at Google, noted that the move reflects a broader effort to make AI tools more locally relevant and accessible.

“Building a truly global Search goes far beyond translation — it requires a nuanced understanding of local information. With the advanced multimodal and reasoning capabilities of our custom version of Gemini in Search, we’ve made huge strides in language understanding, so our most advanced AI search capabilities are locally relevant and useful in each new language we support,” he said.

He added that this initiative is about ensuring Nigerians can converse with Search in their mother tongues, making information more helpful for everyone.

This expansion is part of Google’s wider push to make AI tools more inclusive across Africa. With the addition of Yorùbá and Hausa, Google’s AI Search capabilities now support 13 African languages, helping more people access information in ways that reflect their identity, culture, and everyday communication.

According to Google, the 13 languages now supported across Africa include Afrikaans, Akan, Amharic, Hausa, Kinyarwanda, Afaan Oromoo, Somali, Sesotho, Kiswahili, Setswana, Wolof, Yorùbá, and isiZulu.

These languages were chosen based on the vibrant search activity across the continent, ensuring that our AI experiences reach the communities that need them most.

To use AI Overviews and AI Mode in your language:

1. Open the Google app on your Android or iOS device. Also available via the Web.
2. Tap on AI Mode within the Search experience.
3. Type or speak your question in your preferred language, such as Hausa or Yorùbá, and let the AI guide your journey.

Read also: Google’s new ‘Nano Banana 2’ model lands in Nigeria, bringing high-end AI imagery to search

Relevance of Google Search to Nigerians

Google is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. Its mission is to organise the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. 

Through products and platforms such as Search, Maps, Gmail, Android, Google Play, Google Cloud, Chrome, and YouTube, Google plays a meaningful role in the daily lives of billions of people and has become one of the most widely known companies in the world.

However, the company’s recent efforts to support more African languages in AI-powered products also reflect a broader push to make technology more inclusive and locally relevant for users across the continent.

For many Nigerians, Google Search is the gateway to the internet. Students use it to research school assignments, entrepreneurs to find market insights, and everyday users to find quick answers ranging from health advice to financial tips.

Beyond search, several Google products have become deeply embedded in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem. Platforms such as YouTube, Gmail, and the Android operating system are widely used across the country. 

Android powers the majority of smartphones in Nigeria, making Google’s services accessible to millions of mobile users.

Google has also invested significantly in Nigeria’s technology ecosystem. The company opened its first African engineering centre in Lagos in 2022 and has supported digital development through initiatives such as developer training programmes, startup funding, and digital skills education. 

These efforts aim to help young Nigerians build careers in technology while strengthening the country’s digital economy.

In addition, Google has supported thousands of Nigerian small businesses through tools like Google Business Profiles and digital marketing training programmes. These resources help entrepreneurs improve their online visibility, reach new customers, and participate more actively in the digital marketplace.

As internet access continues to expand across the country, Google’s tools play a growing role in how Nigerians learn, communicate, build businesses, and access opportunities online. 

Read also: Unilever partners with Google Cloud in a 5-year deal to become AI-first consumer goods company

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