Google goes to Nigeria with a local accent and "informal" transit routes

LAGOS (Reuters) – Commuters crossing Nigeria can now hear travel tips posted locally on Google Maps as part of new features designed to attract more users to Africa unveiled Wednesday by the company.

The local accents feature, unveiled at an event in the commercial capital of Lagos and also available on Google Assistant, is the first initiative of the American technology giant to offer such a service in Africa.

Rapid population growth, growing penetration of mobile phones and overcrowded cities, often poorly signaled, have led technology companies to identify African countries as potential growth areas.

They now offer transportation functions, ranging from detailed maps to motorcycle services. Google's instructions for motorcycles will also be available in the Republic of Benin, Ghana, Rwanda, Togo and Uganda starting Wednesday, the company said.

Alphabet Inc. stated that its technology was aimed at attracting new users and extending its appeal beyond just drivers.

"There are 10 million (motorcycles) in Nigeria, it is extremely popular," said Ramesh Nagarajan, director of product management at Google. "We will market by market based on popularity."

In the coming months, the map feature will also allow Lagos users to search for information on what is known as "informal transit" – such as yellow danfo minibuses that cover virtually every road. from Lagos, but are difficult for foreigners, or even the Lagos. travel to a new neighborhood to find information.

Google has partnered with the local startup Road Preppers Technologies Ltd to collect data on the various routes available and aims to provide users with the best options available based on traffic, weather conditions and weather conditions. state of the roads.

"What we are really hoping for is that people who are likely to take a trip to an unfamiliar city, perhaps a trip they do not usually do, can find the information they need to make this trip," he says. said Jeff Albertson. a senior product manager from Google who worked on development.

The map will include information on the planned fare, travel time and even photos of bus stops to help commuters guide themselves. Outside of Lagos, Google is expanding Street View images in Abuja, Benin City, Enugu and Ibadan.

Google has worked hard to grow in West Africa, particularly Nigeria, the continent's most populous country, with an estimated population of 190 million.

Last year he unveiled Wi-Fi access points throughout Lagos and, in 2017, he launched a program to train millions of Africans to skills. necessary to make them more employable.

Google declined to say what kind of investment it was investing in new developments.