Inspired by his personal experience with limb loss, Nigerian inventor Ubokobong Amanam has developed a lifelike bionic arm designed to restore movement and confidence for amputees. Recognized by TIME magazine as one of its Best Inventions of 2026, the innovation highlights Africa’s growing role in technological advancement, although affordability remains a major challenge.
Friday, October 30, 2026
Video - Nigerian inventor’s bionic arm makes TIME’s best inventions of 2026 list
Inspired by his personal experience with limb loss, Nigerian inventor Ubokobong Amanam has developed a lifelike bionic arm designed to restore movement and confidence for amputees. Recognized by TIME magazine as one of its Best Inventions of 2026, the innovation highlights Africa’s growing role in technological advancement, although affordability remains a major challenge.
Nigerian families and survivors seek justice over miners' deaths
Families of 37 artisinal miners who died in custody in Nigeria want swift justice and the return of property seized during their arrest, saying no financial compensation will make up for their loss.
A presidential panel on Tuesday found that the detainees, who were suspected of being illegal miners, had died from overcrowding, extreme heat, dehydration and neglect while being held by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger state last month.
Nigeria's government welcomed the panel's findings, and Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said the panel's report had been sent to the attorney-general for immediate judicial action. He did not respond to requests for comment on when victims' families and survivors would receive compensation.
The deaths, including of teenagers, triggered protests in Nigeria, raising new concerns about conditions in detention facilities and the treatment of suspects awaiting trial.
"What we wanted was for our children to be alive and return to us," said Zainab Salihu, whose son was among the dead.
She said the deaths in detention had led to the deterioration of the health of her husband, who later died. Reuters was unable to verify the circumstances of her husband's death.
"No matter how much money they give us, it will never bring our children back," Salihu said.
Dantala Tanko, whose 25-year-old son Suleiman died in detention, is struggling to come to terms with his loss.
"Now he is gone, and this is deeply painful for me. I know he will never return," he said after praying at his son's grave.
Some survivors said they appreciated the investigation's findings, but wanted accountability.
"Officers who demonstrate such disregard for human life should not remain in positions of authority. They must be held accountable, and appropriate disciplinary action should be taken," said said 25-year-old Dauda Shehu.
Abdulsalam Yakubu, 23, said government action had been slow. He said he wanted the government to return motocycles, phones, mining equipment and gold which he said had been seized during the victims' arrest.
"We have suffered enough. We are asking for justice, the promised support, and the return of our property so that we can begin to rebuild our lives," he told Reuters.
By Ibrahim and Ndiamitso, Reuters
A presidential panel on Tuesday found that the detainees, who were suspected of being illegal miners, had died from overcrowding, extreme heat, dehydration and neglect while being held by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger state last month.
Nigeria's government welcomed the panel's findings, and Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said the panel's report had been sent to the attorney-general for immediate judicial action. He did not respond to requests for comment on when victims' families and survivors would receive compensation.
The deaths, including of teenagers, triggered protests in Nigeria, raising new concerns about conditions in detention facilities and the treatment of suspects awaiting trial.
"What we wanted was for our children to be alive and return to us," said Zainab Salihu, whose son was among the dead.
She said the deaths in detention had led to the deterioration of the health of her husband, who later died. Reuters was unable to verify the circumstances of her husband's death.
"No matter how much money they give us, it will never bring our children back," Salihu said.
Dantala Tanko, whose 25-year-old son Suleiman died in detention, is struggling to come to terms with his loss.
"Now he is gone, and this is deeply painful for me. I know he will never return," he said after praying at his son's grave.
Some survivors said they appreciated the investigation's findings, but wanted accountability.
"Officers who demonstrate such disregard for human life should not remain in positions of authority. They must be held accountable, and appropriate disciplinary action should be taken," said said 25-year-old Dauda Shehu.
Abdulsalam Yakubu, 23, said government action had been slow. He said he wanted the government to return motocycles, phones, mining equipment and gold which he said had been seized during the victims' arrest.
"We have suffered enough. We are asking for justice, the promised support, and the return of our property so that we can begin to rebuild our lives," he told Reuters.
Thursday, October 29, 2026
Video - Nigerian govt panel finds 37 detained miners died from overcrowding and neglect
A government investigation in Nigeria has found that 37 suspected illegal miners died in custody in Niger State due to overcrowding, extreme heat, poor ventilation and neglect. The panel recommended 1.4 billion naira in compensation for bereaved families and survivors, while authorities pledge disciplinary action against officers implicated in the case.
Google Wallet and Google Pay Launch in Nigeria
Google has launched Google Wallet, including Google Pay, in Nigeria, allowing Android and Wear OS users to make digital payments and store essential items such as loyalty cards, event tickets and boarding passes on their devices.
The service enables users to add supported payment cards from participating financial institutions and make contactless payments at physical stores, as well as payments within apps and on websites. The launch is intended to simplify everyday transactions by allowing users to pay with compatible devices without needing to present a physical bank card.
Beyond payments, Google Wallet provides a digital storage space for items users may need throughout the day, including loyalty cards, event tickets and airline boarding passes. This allows users to access these items from one place rather than carrying physical copies.
Google said security measures are built into the service, with multiple layers of protection and industry-standard encryption designed to safeguard financial information during transactions.
Users whose phones are lost or stolen can also use Google’s Find My Device feature to lock their devices remotely, set a new password or erase personal information to help protect their data.
Google Wallet is available for download through the Google Play Store. Contactless payments require a compatible Android device with near-field communication (NFC) support and a payment terminal that accepts contactless transactions.
The service enables users to add supported payment cards from participating financial institutions and make contactless payments at physical stores, as well as payments within apps and on websites. The launch is intended to simplify everyday transactions by allowing users to pay with compatible devices without needing to present a physical bank card.
Beyond payments, Google Wallet provides a digital storage space for items users may need throughout the day, including loyalty cards, event tickets and airline boarding passes. This allows users to access these items from one place rather than carrying physical copies.
Google said security measures are built into the service, with multiple layers of protection and industry-standard encryption designed to safeguard financial information during transactions.
Users whose phones are lost or stolen can also use Google’s Find My Device feature to lock their devices remotely, set a new password or erase personal information to help protect their data.
Google Wallet is available for download through the Google Play Store. Contactless payments require a compatible Android device with near-field communication (NFC) support and a payment terminal that accepts contactless transactions.
Wednesday, October 28, 2026
Dangote refinery IPO draws three times target demand
Nigeria's $1.6 billion Dangote refinery initial public offering has drawn about three times the total targeted orders, two people with knowledge of the situation said, underscoring strong demand for what has been billed as "The People's IPO".
The share sale, which closes on Tuesday, has about 6.4 trillion naira ($4.78 billion) of orders from Nigerian retail and institutional investors, one person involved told Reuters.
Aliko Dangote, the billionaire owner of the Lagos refinery, has said the sale is targeting millions of ordinary Nigerians and Africans who can buy shares with as little as $4.
He said in a statement on Wednesday all 54 African countries had participated in the IPO while applications were received from 120 countries, calling it "a historic achievement."
The order book is expected to grow once subscriptions from investors in other African countries are included, one of the people said, adding that Dangote had received subscriptions from more than 2 million investors through digital channels so far.
Given the demand, Dangote was expected to exercise a greenshoe option that would allow it to increase the size of the offering to as much as $2.1 billion, the person added.
A Dangote spokesperson declined to comment on the demand and possibility of exercising the greenshoe option.
The IPO comes as Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE has benefited from stronger margins, with higher crude oil prices linked to the Iran war lifting earnings.
The refinery, which began commercial operations in early 2024, has steadily increased output and expanded exports, including shipments of jet fuel to Europe and other African markets, helping position Nigeria as a potential net exporter of refined petroleum products.
Share allocation will begin next week ahead of the stock's planned listing on the Nigerian Exchange later in November, the company's IPO prospectus said.
Built at a cost of about $20 billion, the refinery has transformed Nigeria's fuel market since it began operating.
It processes about 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day and aims to double capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day by 2029.
By Chijioke Ohuocha and Macdonald Dzirutwe, Reuters
The share sale, which closes on Tuesday, has about 6.4 trillion naira ($4.78 billion) of orders from Nigerian retail and institutional investors, one person involved told Reuters.
Aliko Dangote, the billionaire owner of the Lagos refinery, has said the sale is targeting millions of ordinary Nigerians and Africans who can buy shares with as little as $4.
He said in a statement on Wednesday all 54 African countries had participated in the IPO while applications were received from 120 countries, calling it "a historic achievement."
The order book is expected to grow once subscriptions from investors in other African countries are included, one of the people said, adding that Dangote had received subscriptions from more than 2 million investors through digital channels so far.
Given the demand, Dangote was expected to exercise a greenshoe option that would allow it to increase the size of the offering to as much as $2.1 billion, the person added.
A Dangote spokesperson declined to comment on the demand and possibility of exercising the greenshoe option.
The IPO comes as Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE has benefited from stronger margins, with higher crude oil prices linked to the Iran war lifting earnings.
The refinery, which began commercial operations in early 2024, has steadily increased output and expanded exports, including shipments of jet fuel to Europe and other African markets, helping position Nigeria as a potential net exporter of refined petroleum products.
Share allocation will begin next week ahead of the stock's planned listing on the Nigerian Exchange later in November, the company's IPO prospectus said.
Built at a cost of about $20 billion, the refinery has transformed Nigeria's fuel market since it began operating.
It processes about 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day and aims to double capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day by 2029.
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