AfricaFeed

Google keeps delivering in Africa

“Today, I just noticed something strange about the Google Nigeria page, and I was curious. That’s when I saw this phrase:

Google.com.ng offered in: Hausa, Ede Oyinbo

At first, I thought it was a fluke, not because Google lacks translation skills, but because I was wondering what Google has to do with Hausa or Yoruba language.  Not that I didn’t know that Google also offers search pages in Afrikaans, Sesotho, IsiZulu and  IsiXhosa all South African languages.

I quickly ran a search for a Yoruba word (since that’s what I understand better), and was amazed at the results the new Google search page provided. You’ll also find that the term ‘Nigeria’ is Naìjírìà for Yoruba and Nijeriya for Hausa.”

via Loy Okezie at StartupsNigeria

“In Africa, we’ve learned that mobile phones are easier to get to than internet connections and PCs, and that working towards our mission means working through mobile phones. At the beginning of 2008, there were over a quarter of a billion mobile subscribers on the continent. Mobile penetration has risen from just one in 50 people at the beginning of this century to almost one third of the population today. To that end, we are excited to launch a test of Google SMS Search in Ghana nd Nigeria.”

via the Google Africa Blog