Nigerians can now hear travel data on Google Maps in a local Nigerian dialect in an effort to attract more users in Africa.
It’s often exhausting and distressing to move around in one of the world’s most populous towns, but Google Maps has made a series of modifications in an effort to make travel easier for Lagos citizens.
Google Maps revealed their recent feature at a business meeting in Lagos on Wednesday (Jul 24), which will also include a more comprehensive map and motorcycle instructions due to be accessible from Wednesday in Benin, Ghana, Rwanda, Togo and Uganda.
Google has recognized these African nations as future growth fields and hopes that these changes will capture new customers and grow beyond automotive drivers.
“There are 10 million (motorcycles) in Nigeria, it’s hugely popular,” said Ramesh Nagarajan, Google’s director of product management. “We’re going market by market based on popularity.”
The latest and updated app will also enable customers to search for “casual transit” instructions, yellow danfo minibusses that run across the town and are often difficult to navigate. Google has been able to collect information on various travel paths in collaboration with local start-up Road Preppers Technologies Ltd in order to provide customers with the finest weather, traffic and road conditions available.
Google’s senior product manager, Jeff Albertson said: “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,”
Furthermore, the map will include precise data on travel fares, time and also pictures of bus stops to assist facilitate travel across the city by commuters.