A Nigerian-built digital platform is solving a distinctly Nigerian problem: the widespread mispronunciation of indigenous names by creating a searchable database where native speakers record authentic pronunciations.
Nali, launched weeks ago, allows users to search Nigerian names across ethnic groups—Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, and others—and hear them pronounced correctly by native speakers. The platform recently released a Contributor Studio that enables anyone to record name pronunciations directly from their browser.
The project addresses a cultural challenge that intensifies as Nigerian identity goes digital. In global workplaces, virtual meetings, and international contexts, Nigerian names are routinely butchered—not just by foreigners, but increasingly by younger Nigerians unfamiliar with languages beyond their own ethnic group.
The platform's creator explained that artificial intelligence can approximate pronunciations, but cannot capture the tonal nuances and cultural soul embedded in indigenous names. Each name carries meaning, history, and family identity—elements that matter deeply in Nigerian culture.
Nigeria's tech sector, valued at over $5 billion and growing rapidly, increasingly focuses on solving local problems rather than replicating Silicon Valley products. From fintech platforms designed for Nigeria's cash-based economy to logistics apps navigating Lagos traffic, Nigerian developers build for Nigerian realities.
Nali exemplifies this trend: Nigerian innovation solving Nigerian problems. The platform currently boasts strong Yoruba representation but seeks contributors to record Igbo, Hausa, and regional language names. Contributors spend 10-15 minutes recording batches of 20-50 names, which then become publicly accessible.
The cultural importance cannot be overstated. In Nigeria, as across Africa's giants, challenges are real but entrepreneurial energy and cultural creativity drive progress. Names carry ancestral connections, spiritual meanings, and family narratives—they are not mere labels but identity markers.
As Nigeria's diaspora expands globally and the nation's cultural influence grows through Nollywood, music, and literature, maintaining cultural authenticity becomes increasingly important. The platform ensures that as Nigerian names spread worldwide, they carry their proper pronunciation and cultural integrity.
The project accepts contributions at naliproject.org, seeking to build what its creator calls "human truth"—the authentic voice of native speakers preserving cultural heritage in digital form.
