As the digital landscape in West Africa undergoes a rapid transformation, Olumide Balogun, Director at Google West Africa, has outlined how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is fundamentally rewriting the rules of commerce and consumer curiosity in Nigeria.
According to Balogun, Nigerians are natural explorers, whether they are navigating the stalls of Balogun Market or hunting for the best travel deals out of Lagos. However, he notes that the way this curiosity is expressed is evolving from simple typing to speaking, snapping photos, and asking complex, conversational questions.
To help local business owners stay visible, Balogun highlighted four key shifts driven by AI and offered strategic advice for adaptation.
The rise of visual discovery
The era of relying solely on text-based search is fading. Consumers are increasingly using their smartphone cameras to identify products in real-time, a trend Balogun calls Visual Discovery. With tools like Google Lens now processing over 25 billion visual searches monthly, a shopper stuck in Lagos traffic can simply snap a photo of a pair of sneakers they admire to find a local vendor.
- Balogun’s advice: Business owners must prioritize high-quality, clear product imagery on their websites and social media to ensure AI recognizes their inventory during a visual search.
Conversational queries vs. keywords
The way Nigerians search is becoming more human. Instead of typing shoes Ikeja, users are now asking detailed questions: “Where can I find affordable leather shoes in Ikeja that are open on Sundays and do home delivery? AI-powered features, such as AI Overviews, now act as digital librarians, scanning the web to provide organized summaries and direct links to businesses that fit these specific criteria.
- Balogun’s advice: To be recommended, businesses should create helpful, detailed website content and keep their Google Business Profiles updated with exact opening hours and delivery zones.
Intent over exact phrasing
Balogun emphasizes that modern search technology now understands the intent behind a search rather than just matching keywords. For example, someone searching for how to bring small dogs on flights is understood by AI as someone likely needing to purchase an airline-approved pet carrier.
- Balogun’s advice: Business owners no longer need to obsess over guessing every possible keyword. By using AI-powered campaigns, the technology automatically matches a store’s products to a customer’s underlying needs.
AI Assistants for the Nigerian hustle
Acknowledging that running a business in Nigeria requires immense energy, Balogun pointed to agentic capabilities as the next frontier. AI is shifting from a tool to a personalized assistant that handles the heavy lifting of digital marketing.
- Balogun’s advice: Entrepreneurs can simplify operations by using AI-driven platforms like Performance Max. By providing a budget and creative asset, the AI automatically finds high-value customers across YouTube, Search, and the web, allowing the owner to focus on daily operations.
The Bottom Line: A Digital Doorstep
The language of curiosity in Nigeria is expanding. From voice notes to photos, consumers are finding brands in ways that were impossible a decade ago.
“By understanding these behaviours and embracing helpful AI tools, you can let the technology connect eager customers directly to your digital doorstep,” Balogun concluded.