Yarn GPT: Bringing Nigerian Accents & Indigenous Languages to AI with Text-to-Speech!
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only. Yarn GPT is an independent project created by Saheed Azeez, and this blog is not affiliated with or endorsed by Yarn GPT, its developer, or any AI platform mentioned. Readers are encouraged to verify details through official sources before making any decisions based on this content.
How a Nigerian Innovator Is Transforming Artificial Intelligence in Africa
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping industries worldwide, with global leaders like Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI investing billions into research and development. While Africa has often been underrepresented in this technological wave, a new generation of innovators is stepping up to change the narrative. One remarkable example is Saheed Azeez, a Nigerian student and developer who is building AI tools tailored for African languages and accents.
Meet Saheed Azeez: The Mind Behind Yarn GPT
Saheed Azeez, a mechanical engineering student at the University of Lagos, created Yarn GPT—an AI-powered text-to-speech model that speaks English in a Nigerian accent and supports native languages. This innovation has sparked attention across social media for its ability to deliver natural-sounding speech in ways that resonate with local users.
Unlike standard AI voice models, which often mispronounce African names and phrases, Yarn GPT is designed to capture the rhythm, tone, and pronunciation unique to Nigerian speech. Beyond English, it also supports Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa, making it one of the first AI voice models built for Nigeria’s linguistic diversity.
Why Yarn GPT Matters
- Delivering authentic Nigerian-accented English
- Supporting major indigenous languages
- Helping make AI more inclusive for African communities
By making AI sound familiar, Yarn GPT opens opportunities for businesses, educators, and creators to integrate AI into their work without losing cultural authenticity.
The Journey of Building Yarn GPT
Creating an AI model in Nigeria comes with unique challenges, particularly around computing resources. High-performance GPUs are expensive, but Saheed found a solution in Google Colab, a cloud-based platform that provides free and paid GPU access. With determination and resourcefulness, he successfully trained Yarn GPT using Nigerian audio sources such as Nollywood films.
To expand its reach, Saheed built two versions:
- Yarn GPT – Focused on Nigerian-accented English
- Yarn GPT Local – Designed for Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa, alongside English
Both are open-source, encouraging developers across Africa to contribute, adapt, and improve the models for other local languages and accents.
How Yarn GPT Works
- Breaking text into smaller parts to analyze meaning
- Mapping words to Nigerian speech patterns for natural pronunciation
- Generating realistic audio output similar to voices used in modern assistants
The result is a smooth, natural-sounding voice that closely resembles a real Nigerian speaker.
Recent Updates: Yarn GPT 2 and Yarn GPT 2B
- Yarn GPT 2 – Trained on English, Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa within a single model
- Yarn GPT 2B – Includes both text-to-speech and speech-to-text capabilities
A new web interface also makes Yarn GPT accessible to anyone interested in testing it, with user-friendly options to choose voices and languages.
The Bigger Picture: AI for Africa
The significance of Yarn GPT goes beyond technology—it represents a step toward digital inclusion. By making AI tools culturally relevant and linguistically diverse, it opens doors for:
- Businesses: Customer service chatbots with authentic African voices
- Media & Content Creators: Affordable, natural voiceovers for videos and podcasts
- Education: Teaching in native languages to improve learning outcomes
Keeping Yarn GPT open-source encourages collaboration across the continent, allowing developers from Kenya, South Africa, Ethiopia, and beyond to adapt the technology for their local needs.
Conclusion
Yarn GPT demonstrates how African innovators can redefine the role of AI on the continent. By prioritizing inclusivity and accessibility, projects like this not only address local challenges but also inspire a global conversation about representation in AI.
As technology continues to shape the future, Yarn GPT stands as proof that Africa is not only catching up—it is innovating in its own unique way.
