Google has introduced support for Yorùbá and Hausa in its AI-powered Search features, including AI Overviews and AI Mode, enabling users in Nigeria to access artificial intelligence tools in their preferred local languages.
The company announced the update on Thursday, stating that speakers of both languages can now use AI-driven search experiences to receive concise summaries, ask detailed questions, and engage in more conversational exploration of web content through text or voice.
Google described the expansion as part of its wider commitment to enhancing AI inclusivity across Africa. With this latest update, the number of African languages supported by its AI search tools has increased to 13.
The company emphasized that reducing language barriers is central to ensuring technology better represents the culture and identity of its users.
“With this expansion, more people can now use AI Mode to ask complex questions in their preferred language and explore the web more naturally through text or voice,” Google said.
It added that the update benefits users such as a student in Kano asking questions in Hausa or a business owner in Ibadan seeking information in Yorùbá, who can now access existing AI features directly in their mother tongue.
Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Communications and Public Affairs Manager for West Africa at Google, said the move is intended to make Search more accessible and useful for Nigerians by enabling conversations in local languages.
The newly supported languages across Africa include Afrikaans, Akan, Amharic, Hausa, Kinyarwanda, Afaan Oromoo, Somali, Sesotho, Kiswahili, Setswana, Wolof, Yorùbá, and isiZulu.
The expansion reflects a broader trend among global technology companies to localize AI tools for emerging markets, particularly in Africa, where digital adoption continues to grow.
