Google Places API
Maps & Geocoding
The Google Places API is a component of Google Maps Platform that provides programmatic access to Google's database of over 200 million real-world places businesses, landmarks, transit stations, natural features, and addresses worldwide. For developers building location-based features in applications, Google Places is the most data-rich option available, particularly for Nigerian applications that benefit from Google's extensive indexing of Nigerian businesses, neighborhoods, markets, landmarks, and points of interest.
Google Places API Highlights
Google Places API is verified for developer integrations in Nigeria and across African markets, providing documented endpoints, sandbox testing, and developer support.
API Key
No hard limit. Quota caps and billing controls. Free $200/month credit.
Nigeria
Ghana
Kenya
AWSGoogle Places API is best for:
Developers needing to search, autocomplete, and retrieve details about places and businesses especially for building address autocomplete inputs and location discovery features in Nigerian apps.
- $200/month free credit (~40,000 requests)
- Paid:$17/1,000 place searches
- Nigeria included
Google Places API Core Features & Capabilities
Required Access Documents for Google Places API
- Google Cloud Account with BillingRequiredRequires Google Cloud account with billing enabled. Enable Places API in the console. API key with Places API scope. $200/month free credit covers typical small app usage.
Different Google Places API use cases
- Nigerian Business Directory Autocomplete:Use Google Places Autocomplete to build an address or business search input for a Nigerian app as users type a bank name, restaurant, or landmark in Lagos, suggestions appear from Google's 200M+ place database with Nigerian business coverage.
- Nearby Business Search for Nigerian Location App:Use Google Places Nearby Search to find businesses near a user's location in Nigeria banks, ATMs, hospitals, pharmacies, fuel stations returning name, address, rating, and distance from the specified coordinates.
- Place Details for Nigerian Property App:Use Google Place Details to retrieve comprehensive information about a Nigerian business opening hours, phone number, website, photos, user reviews, and precise coordinates to populate a detailed listing page.
- Store Locator Autocomplete for Nigerian Chain:Integrate Google Places Autocomplete into a Nigerian chain business's store locator, letting customers type their location or a nearby area to find the nearest branch with complete details returned from the Places API.