This archive report was first published on 26 July 2019.
On July 24, 2019, Google unveiled new features for Google Maps and Google Assistant, marking the company's first move to offer local accents in Africa.
For Nigerian drivers, this means they can now receive route advice in a Nigerian accent when using Google Maps.
This change addresses a long-standing issue where Nigerians had to deal with travel advice from Google in an American accent, which struggled to pronounce local names such as Alfred Rewane Road in Lagos.
According to social media comments, some Nigerians were surprised to hear an 'accent that sounded like them' when the feature was tested.
Google also announced that in the coming months, the maps feature will allow users in Lagos to seek directions on 'informal transit,' such as the yellow minibuses known as danfo, which ply virtually every road in the commercial capital.
