Google Nigeria has organised a two-day tour of Abuja for social media influencers and journalists, training them on how to navigate cities using Google Maps.
The Head, Communications and Public Affairs, Google West Africa, Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, said the tour aimed to expose participants to the untapped uses of Google Maps.
The participants were not only exposed to proper usage of the maps but the culture and heritage of the Abuja people.
According to Kola-Ogunlade, local guides who hit attain level 10 stand a chance to win an all-expense paid trip to the United States of America.
Local guides are people who contribute regularly to Google maps to develop and improve navigation.
He stated that someone could become a local guide by downloading the app, posting reviews, photos and ratings about places visited, adding that the more reviews and photos posted contributed to points earned and increase the person’s rank.
Kola-Ogunlade said, “Posting reviews and photos about places visited is important because it will help people who are visiting the place to have a piece of prior knowledge.”
“All level 10 local guides have their conference in San Francisco every year and it is an all-expenses-paid trip.”
He stated that there were a lot of Nigerians who were familiar with the usage of Google maps but were not aware of the benefits attached.
The tour started from the Millennium Park in Maitama area of Abuja to the Thought Pyramid Art Centre, which houses paintings of popular Nigerian artists.
Participants were taught how to paint and made to create their own paintings, after which they visited the Ushafa Pottery in Bwari, Abuja to learn the art of pottery.
The tour proceeded to the IBB International Golf course and then Cube Cafe.
On the second day of the tour, participants were divided into groups and made to undergo a competition of locating unknown places using Google maps and the clues provided by the organisers.
Source: Punch
