Meet Taslim Okunola, the Nigerian behind Google’s push for localised technology in Africa 

In the fast-evolving global technology landscape, few careers capture the intersection of local insight and global impact quite like that of Google Global Strategy and Operations Manager Taslim Okunola.

From modest beginnings in Ibadan, one of the largest cities in West Africa, to influencing how millions across Sub-Saharan Africa interact with digital products, his journey reflects a broader shift in how African talent is shaping global innovation.

In a recent interview with Business Insider Africa, Okunola shared insights into his journey, his work, and the lessons shaping Africa’s digital future.

Early life and the roots of problem-solving

Okunola’s early exposure to technology came under constraints familiar to many Nigerians.

“Technology wasn’t ripping through Nigeria the way it was in other parts of the world, but I found my way in. When I was about 11 or 12, I remember accessing Google Search on a tiny screen with no images, just text, and getting answers through Wikipedia.

My brother and I would spend hours exploring Opera Mini, trying to make the internet actually work on 2G. It was slow and frustrating at times, but it still felt like magic because we were discovering something new,” he said.

That early exposure shaped what he describes as a lifelong ability to “work within constraints instead of waiting for perfect conditions.”

His background reflects a broader African reality, where internet access remains uneven. According to the International Telecommunication Union, only about 36 to 38 per cent of Africans are online, highlighting the limitations many users face and the ingenuity required to navigate them.

His entrepreneurial instincts also emerged early. Inspired by board games like Monopoly, he recalled how his exposure to them shaped his thinking beyond play.

He said his dad introduced him to games like Scrabble and Monopoly, but he “didn’t just want to play,” explaining that he went on to create his own Monopoly sets using Nigerian cities and custom paper money.

According to Okunola, he was trying to make what he enjoyed feel closer and more relatable to the people around him, an instinct that stayed with him over time.

He added that the experience gave him an early understanding of localisation, adapting what already works so it feels natural and accessible to a specific audience.

From internship to global strategy

Starting as a digital marketing intern at Hotels.ng, Okunola said he quickly learned the value of accountability.

“My first real job came with real responsibility. From day one, I had access to a Google Ads account with actual money and was expected to deliver results.

As someone just starting out, that felt like a big deal, but it taught me something important very early, to take ownership, not just of the tasks assigned to me, but of the results that came out of them.”

He noted that this mindset stayed with him throughout his career and shaped how he approached every role, regardless of position.

Over time, curiosity became another driving force.

“When I was working in product marketing, we spent a lot of time gathering user insights and building strong cases for product changes. Sometimes we would present all the evidence and still get a ‘no’.

“Instead of getting frustrated, I became curious about how decisions were actually made and what I might not be seeing from my angle.

That curiosity pulled me into Strategy and Operations, and it has been the driving force behind most of my career moves. I’ve never been afraid to be a beginner if it means I get to learn,” he told Business Insider Africa.

His journey reflects the rapid growth of Africa’s digital ecosystem, where internet adoption has expanded at one of the fastest rates globally over the past two decades, highlighting the vast opportunities for professionals at the intersection of technology and emerging markets.

Building technology for African realities

One of the most notable aspects of his work has been adapting Google products for African users, where user research in Lagos revealed a clear gap between global products and local expectations.

“The technology didn’t feel familiar. It felt robotic, almost distant from how people actually speak and interact daily.

In a country like Nigeria, where trust and word of mouth matter, that gap becomes a barrier. People want to feel like the product understands their context,” he said.

This insight contributed to introducing Nigerian English into platforms like Google Assistant and Maps, with broader expansion into Yoruba, Hausa, and Igbo.

“One moment that stayed with me was when an Uber driver said he was relieved that Google Maps no longer had ‘the foreign lady’. He said the directions finally felt natural while driving.”

Okunola said the comment showed the real impact of their work, shifting the experience from mere functionality to connection and usability.

This push for localisation reflects broader industry trends. According to the GSMA, more than 400 million people in Sub-Saharan Africal now use mobile internet, yet a significant portion of the population remains unconnected, underscoring the need for products that are both accessible and culturally relevant.

Lessons for African startups

For African markets, Okunola argues that success lies in building from the ground up rather than adapting global products downward.

“A lot of global companies take a rich product and try to scale it down for emerging markets, but that approach rarely works well. The experience ends up feeling second class, and users notice that immediately,” he said.

He added that local companies often have the advantage because “they are not adapting down. They are building from scratch for their environment and their users.”

“That distinction is very important, and it’s something more companies need to understand if they want to succeed in these markets,” he noted.

He also pointed out that insights from African users are globally relevant, as younger users in developed markets often behave like first-time users in emerging economies.

On startups, he advises founders to “think local but build global,” stressing that companies must clearly define the core problem they are solving.

“If you’re a food delivery company, you’re really a logistics company first; the tech is just the enabler. If you don’t solve the core problem well, no amount of great technology will fix that,” he said.

This view is reinforced by broader data trends, as Africa’s mobile data consumption is projected to grow at one of the fastest rates globally, signalling strong demand for locally relevant digital solutions.

Data, trust, and global perspective

Data, he emphasised, must be handled with discipline and trust.

“The first thing is to separate data from monetisation because combining them too early can create the wrong perception. The goal should never be to sell user data,” he said.

“Trust is not optional in this space. It is foundational to whether your product succeeds or not,” he added.