Google has unveiled a suite of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered tools and services designed to transform advertising and digital commerce in Nigeria, reinforcing its commitment to helping local businesses thrive in the fast-evolving digital economy.
The announcement was made during Google Marketing Live (GML) 2025, the tech giant’s annual showcase of cutting-edge product advancements in advertising and commerce.
“In Sub-Saharan Africa, the digital landscape is experiencing explosive growth, making digital presence and AI adoption no longer an option, but a necessity for businesses to thrive and connect with their customers effectively,” said Olumide Balogun, Director, West Africa, Google. “These GML announcements reinforce our commitment to equipping Nigeria’s vibrant business community with cutting-edge AI tools to unlock new opportunities and achieve their growth ambitions.”
Among the major innovations revealed were AI Overviews in Google Search, AI-powered marketing assistants, image-to-video transformation tools, and a centralized creative workspace in Google Ads.
AI Overviews and New Ad Opportunities
One of the event’s biggest announcements was the expansion of ads in AI Overviews — Google’s AI-generated summaries that appear at the top of search results. Already driving more than a 10% increase in Search usage in countries like the U.S. and India, this feature is expected to offer Nigerian businesses expanded visibility as it rolls out later this year.
As commercial queries increase, businesses in Nigeria can look forward to Search and Shopping ads becoming available in AI Overviews for mobile and desktop users, boosting opportunities for customer acquisition. Google also teased ads within AI Mode, a conversational search experience for complex questions, which will include integrated ad placements relevant to user intent.
AI Marketing Assistants and Agentic Capabilities
A new generation of AI assistants is also on the way, with Google rolling out agentic features that provide businesses with step-by-step campaign support, data interpretation, and marketing strategy insights. The Marketing Advisor in Chrome and upcoming integration with Google Ads and Google Analytics are set to simplify digital marketing workflows for Nigerian SMEs and enterprises alike.
Creative Content Powered by AI
To help brands better engage audiences visually, Google is launching new tools:
- Image-to-Video Transformation: Leveraging Google’s Veo model, this feature enables marketers to turn static images into dynamic video content — reducing production costs while maintaining high quality.
- AI Outpainting: This innovation expands video visuals beyond original frames to adapt content seamlessly to different platforms and formats. It’s currently available for App campaigns and will soon be available in other campaign types.
Additionally, Asset Studio, a new creative workspace within Google Ads, will unify all creative tools in one place — allowing advertisers to generate images and video assets more efficiently.
Smarter Measurement and Customer Insights
Advertisers will also gain enhanced measurement tools, including incrementality testing to identify which campaigns truly drive results. Google’s newly introduced Data Manager will enable businesses to better collect, store, and utilize customer data — while maintaining strict data privacy compliance.
Positioning Nigerian Businesses for Growth
These innovations come at a critical time for Nigeria’s digital economy. With over 70% of the country’s online population having interacted with generative AI in the past year — well above the global average — the rollout of these tools is expected to boost digital visibility, customer engagement, and business growth.
“Africa is ready for AI-led transformation, and Nigerian businesses are poised to lead the charge with tools that are not only accessible but also game-changing,” Balogun added.
