A Nigerian artificial intelligence startup has rolled out a large language model in six African countries, aiming to create AI systems tailored to African users, languages and cultural contexts that have been largely ignored by global platforms.
Weta Origin, founded by entrepreneur Ismail Waziri, launched the platform in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa and Zambia. The model supports widely spoken African languages, including Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba and Swahili, as well as English, allowing users to interact with the AI in their native languages.
Waziri said the idea emerged from frustration with existing AI tools that struggle with African contexts. Unlike mainstream AI systems that rely heavily on Western datasets, Weta Origin's models are trained using African languages and region-specific data with the goal of providing more accurate responses on topics such as local markets, public services and social systems.
The startup believes its platform can support sectors including education, small business, health care information, and government communications. The rollout in six countries represents an initial testing phase, in which users are encouraged to try the platform while developers collect feedback to refine language understanding and improve response accuracy.
While competition with global AI platforms like ChatGPT and Gemini presents a significant challenge, Weta Origin said it is focused on creating solutions designed specifically for African communities rather than copying existing global tools. As Africa's population exceeds 1.4 billion and internet access continues to expand, demand for locally relevant AI is expected to grow.