Google adds Yorùbá and Hausa to AI search features in Nigeria

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By Juliet Umeh

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Google has expanded the language support of its AI-powered Search features, AI Overviews and AI Mode, to include Yorùbá and Hausa in Nigeria.

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The update allows speakers of the two Nigerian languages to access AI-generated summaries and conversational search experiences in their mother tongues. According to Google, the development is part of a wider rollout across Africa, bringing the total number of supported African languages to 13.

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With the update, users can ask complex questions and receive AI-powered responses in Yorùbá or Hausa, either by typing or using voice input within Google Search.

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Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Communications and Public Affairs Manager for West Africa at Google, explained that the expansion goes beyond simple translation, focusing on deeper language understanding.

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He said: “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. This is about ensuring Nigerians can converse with Search in their mother tongues, making information more helpful for everyone.”

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The integration is powered by a custom version of Google’s Gemini model embedded within Search, designed to enhance multimodal reasoning and improve interactions with information across text and voice.

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The newly supported African languages now include Afrikaans, Akan, Amharic, Hausa, Kinyarwanda, Afaan Oromoo, Somali, Sesotho, Kiswahili, Setswana, Wolof, Yorùbá, and isiZulu.

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To use the feature, users can open the Google app on Android or iOS devices, or the web version of Search, select AI Mode, and ask questions in their preferred language.

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Google said the move underscores its commitment to making advanced AI systems inclusive, culturally relevant, and accessible to diverse communities across Africa.

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