A University of Lagos (UNILAG) student has made waves in the Nigerian tech space by developing an AI-powered text-to-speech (TTS) model that features a distinct Nigerian accent. The breakthrough comes after the student generated over two million GPT tokens to refine the AI’s linguistic capabilities. This innovation is expected to enhance accessibility and representation in AI-driven speech synthesis, particularly for Nigerian users.
The student, whose name is yet to be widely publicized, embarked on the project to address the lack of localized accents in mainstream AI voice assistants. While many global TTS models feature American or British accents, this model accurately mimics Nigerian intonations, making digital communication more relatable for local users. The AI system was trained using diverse datasets, including Nigerian speech patterns and phonetic structures.
Developing the model required significant computational resources, as well as an in-depth understanding of machine learning and natural language processing (NLP). By generating two million GPT tokens, the student fine-tuned the AI to recognize and reproduce various Nigerian speech nuances. This level of detail ensures that the model can pronounce words naturally, catering to different Nigerian languages and dialects.
The innovation has sparked interest among tech enthusiasts, researchers, and businesses looking to integrate local-language AI solutions. It holds potential applications in customer service, education, accessibility tools for people with disabilities, and even entertainment. With the rise of AI adoption in Africa, this development represents a step toward more inclusive and culturally relevant technology.
As the project gains traction, there are calls for institutional and private-sector support to scale its impact. Experts believe that with further refinement and investment, this AI model could be integrated into mainstream voice assistants and AI-powered applications, putting Nigeria on the global AI innovation map.
