Information technology experts in Nigeria have developed a location-based Application with local content for the recreation services known as BarFinderNaija.
BarFinderNaija is an app where users tell their friends where they are and what they are doing, with the help of geo tagging which uses the in-built GPS (global positioning system) of users’ mobile devices, as they are logged on to the app.
It also finds where to enjoy a late meal, a drink, a disco to dance, a family friendly outlet, sports viewing bar, somewhere to chill while traffic goes down or whatever you want in the urban city of Lagos with BarfinderNaija App.
According to Mrs Florence Olumodimu, founder of BarfinderNaija, ‘the young Nigerians that developed the app include Damilanre Akinlaja who developed the mobile app and Mobolade Ajayi that developed the web services of the product.
This initiative was nurtured and certified at Idea hub, Yaba.
BarFinderNaija app was made possible using Google Maps, consumer insight, local and rich media content development.’
She said that the BarFinderNaija app is available in Google Playstore, BlackBerryWorld and can be accessed through the web application on www.barfindernaija.com.
“The technology gives government an opportunity to deliver public services in remarkable new ways.
“Government can also be very much a part of this as I look forward to any federal or state parastatal that catches the bug and commissions us to help them use our local-based-services skills to help them serve the citizens better. We are positioned to use the internet and our skills to help with making our cities ‘smartcities’ through smarter city planning.”
“Location Based Services enables indoor and outdoor tracking and we can tag iconic sights and important infrastructure across cities for authorities so that everyone knows where things are and their proximity to them in simple terms.
“Its application can be used for infrastructure mapping, traffic monitoring, iconic buildings/locations, markets, emergency services, open datasets about the locations of health services to help citizens find care nearby and information management in real-time.
“Governments at every level stand to benefit from the convergence of geospatial technologies and location-based services.
“For agency executives, capturing data from social media and location-based applications offers a more detailed and nuanced dataset than traditional GIS and demographic data, leading to better policymaking and program delivery.
“At the same time, the more data agencies collect, the better and more contextually aware location-based services become for citizens,” she said.
BarFinderNaija app also provides valuable information on outlets while letting anyone with an email, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram account share their location and what they are doing, with friends, family and people around the world through geo tagging, as check-in to the service.
The app alerts friends to their current location – incorporates location information with other data to provide a value-added experience to the mobile user.
“Users can also send private messages to friends. Connect with friends, get updates on outlets they follow/like, events, promotions, search for businesses around their location, view pictures, videos, read user reviews of their experiences and make purchases on the go,” she added.
