Google has expanded the language support of its AI-powered Search features, including AI Overviews and AI Mode, to now include Yorùbá and Hausa in Nigeria.
The update enables speakers of these Nigerian languages to access AI-generated summaries and conversational search experiences in their mother tongues. Google confirmed that this rollout is part of a broader initiative across Africa, bringing the total number of supported African languages to 13.
With the expansion, users can ask complex questions and receive AI powered responses in Yorùbá or Hausa, either by typing or using voice input within Google Search. According to Taiwo Kola Ogunlade, Communications and Public Affairs Manager for West Africa at Google, the update goes beyond simple translation to deliver deeper local language understanding.
“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,” Kola Ogunlade said.
The integration is powered by a custom version of Google’s Gemini model embedded within Search to enhance multimodal reasoning and improve interactions with information across text and voice.
The newly supported African languages now include Afrikaans, Akan, Amharic, Hausa, Kinyarwanda, Afaan Oromoo, Somali, Sesotho, Kiswahili, Setswana, Wolof, Yorùbá, and isiZulu. Users can access the feature by opening the Google app on Android or iOS devices or via the web version of Search, selecting AI Mode, and asking questions in their preferred language.
Google emphasized that the move reinforces its commitment to making advanced AI systems inclusive, culturally relevant, and accessible to diverse communities across Africa.
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