Google has expanded the language capabilities of its AI-powered Search tools to include Yorùbá and Hausa, enabling millions of Nigerians to interact with artificial intelligence in their native languages.
The update introduces support for the languages across features such as AI Overviews and AI Mode, allowing users to ask questions, explore topics, and receive AI-generated summaries in Yorùbá or Hausa through text or voice.
With the new feature, a student in Kano can search for information in Hausa, while a trader in Ibadan can explore business advice in Yorùbá—making digital information more accessible to local communities.
Expanding AI access in local languages
According to Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Communications and Public Affairs Manager for West Africa at Google, the move is part of the company’s broader effort to make artificial intelligence tools more locally relevant and inclusive.
“Building a truly global Search goes far beyond translation — it requires a nuanced understanding of local information,” he said.
He explained that the advanced capabilities of Google Gemini, the company’s AI model integrated into Search, allow Google to better understand languages and deliver more relevant results for users.
The initiative aims to enable Nigerians to converse with Google Search in their mother tongues, making digital information easier to understand and more useful in everyday life.
AI Search now supports 13 African languages
With the addition of Yorùbá and Hausa, Google’s AI-powered Search features now support 13 African languages, including:
- Afrikaans
- Akan
- Amharic
- Hausa
- Kinyarwanda
- Afaan Oromoo
- Somali
- Sesotho
- Kiswahili
- Setswana
- Wolof
- Yorùbá
- isiZulu
Google said the languages were selected based on strong search activity and community engagement across Africa, ensuring that AI tools reach the users who need them most.
How Nigerians can use the feature
Users can access the AI features through the Google app or via the web by following a few steps:
- Open the Google app on an Android or iOS device.
- Tap on AI Mode within the Search experience.
- Type or speak a question in Yorùbá or Hausa.
- Receive AI-generated summaries and guided responses.
Google’s growing role in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem
As a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., Google has become one of the most widely used technology companies globally, with services such as Google Search, YouTube, Gmail, Android, Google Maps, and Google Chrome used daily by billions of people.
In Nigeria, Android powers the majority of smartphones, making Google’s services accessible to millions of mobile internet users.
The company has also invested in the country’s tech ecosystem, including the launch of its first African engineering centre in Lagos in 2022. Google has supported digital development through training programmes for developers, startup support initiatives, and digital skills education.
It has also helped thousands of small businesses grow through Google Business Profiles and digital marketing training, enabling entrepreneurs to increase their online visibility and reach new customers.
As internet access expands across Nigeria, Google’s push to support local languages in AI-powered tools is expected to further improve how Nigerians search for information, build businesses, learn online, and connect with the digital economy.
