Drivers in Nigeria can now hear travel route advice in a Nigerian accent.
Google unveiled the new feature at an event in Lagos on Wednesday. The Nigerian voice is part of the Google Maps package and is also available with Google assistant.
This is the first move by the US technology giant to offer such a service in Africa.
Google says are now offering transport features from detailed maps to motorcycle ride-hailing services. Google’s motorcycle directions will also be available in Benin Republic, Ghana, Rwanda, Togo and Uganda from Wednesday.
In the coming months, the maps feature will also allow users in Lagos to seek directions on what it calls “informal transit” – such as yellow danfo minibuses that ply virtually every road in Lagos, but about which it is difficult for outsiders or even Lagosians traveling to a new neighborhood to find information.
“What we’re really hoping is for people who might be making a trip to an unfamiliar town, maybe a journey they don’t usually take, to be able to discover the info they need to make that journey,” said Jeff Albertson, a Google senior product manager who worked on the development.
Increased mobile phone penetration, crowded cities and rapidly expanding populations have led technology firms to identify African countries as potential growth.
The technology behemoth owned by Alphabet Inc. said it is aiming to capture new users and expand its appeal beyond just drivers.
