Nairobi — In an effort to localise its geo-products, Google has launched detailed online maps of several Ugandan towns.

The maps, accessible on Google Maps, signal Google's relevance to Ugandan users and support in the development and innovation of local content.

"This is an exciting pan-African launch, enabling us to improve maps functionality for Africa and to make information about the continent readily available," said Joe Mucheru, Google's regional lead for sub Saharan Africa.

Google Maps, now available for 29 African countries, is a Google service offering user-friendly mapping technology and local business information.

Uganda Maps follows earlier launches in Kenya and South Africa.

Users of the service are able to save or share their own geographic information, using My Maps, a simple-to-use tool accessible to all Google Map users for creating customised maps.

This move is part of a broader effort to improve the quality of maps and mapping data in Africa using local people, said Google Uganda country manager Rachel Payne.

"We want to show that the Internet is not just a place to find and consume information, but a place for Africans to create and contribute their own."

Updated online maps

After the launch, Google Maps users in Uganda can now search up to date online maps, look up business, advertise for free via Google Maps local businesses centre, create their own maps and even check locations while they are on the move.

Google currently has 112 language interfaces in Search, and offers translation in 51 languages, with more than 2,550 language pairs.

The maps are developed with the local community, which constantly works to improve the quality and accuracy of information available in Google Maps.