I am an advocate for indigenous African cultures, and it is personal to me that these rich and diverse dialects gain the global recognition they deserve. West African dialects, particularly Nigerian English, Igbo, and Yoruba, are underrepresented in the virtual world of technology.

The giants of the technology industry such as Google, Apple, and Amazon offer services in many languages, but the diversity and depth of African dialects have not been adequately captured. Siri may mispronounce a word or command issued in these dialects, and this lack of multilingual support can be a barrier for effective usage of these platforms.

Nigeria, Cameroon, and Ghana, among others, are experiencing an increase in smartphone usage. In Nigeria, for example, there were 25.02 million smartphone users in 2018 and this figure is predicted to grow to more than 140 million by 2025 (Statista, 2021). The potential market in West Africa is vast and growing rapidly. Recognising and supporting its diverse languages is not only culturally important but also has the potential to unlock significant economic potential.

We are calling on the leading tech companies to employ linguists to capture the authentic pronunciations and nuances of Nigerian English, Igbo, and Yoruba, among others. We further implore these companies to ensure their virtual assistants, like Google Assistant, Alexa, and Siri, recognise and respond accurately to these dialects.

The push for a more inclusive digital world starts now. Join our cause and sign this petition. Let us remind these industry leaders that language is not just a tool for communication but an essential part of our cultural diversity and identity.