In a move aimed at widening digital access across the continent. Google and a consortium of African research institutions have launched WAXAL. It is a large, open speech dataset built to support artificial intelligence tools in African languages.
The dataset is designed to help close a long-standing gap. While voice assistants and speech tools are common in many parts of the world, most of Africa’s more than 2,000 languages remain digitally unsupported. As a result, millions of people cannot interact with technology in their native tongue.
WAXAL targets that problem directly. It includes 1,250 hours of transcribed, natural speech and more than 20 hours of studio-quality recordings for building synthetic voices. The data covers 21 Sub-Saharan languages, including Hausa, Luganda, Yoruba and Acholi. Together, these languages are spoken by more than 100 million people.
WAXAL, Built for African Researchers
Unlike many global AI projects, WAXAL was developed locally. African universities and community groups led the data collection over three years, with funding and technical support from Google.
Partners include Makerere University, University of Ghana, and Digital Umuganda in Rwanda. These institutions retain ownership of the data, a structure designed to ensure fair use and local control.
Aisha Walcott-Bryantt, Head of Google Research Africa, said the aim is to give students, researchers and entrepreneurs tools to build technology “on their own terms, in their own languages.”
Researchers say the dataset is already strengthening local capacity.
Joyce Nakatumba-Nabende of Makerere University noted it has supported new student and faculty-led speech projects. At the University of Ghana, more than 7,000 volunteers contributed recordings, helping create language resources for health, education and agriculture applications.
A Foundation for Future Tools
The release could enable new voice services, educational apps and digital public services that better reflect African communities.
By making the dataset openly accessible, the consortium hopes innovation will come not only from large firms, but also from local developers and startups.
The WAXAL dataset is available from today through Google Africa’s research platforms.
