Business
NIGERIA: Aliko Dangote Regains Top Spot as Forbes’ Africa’s Wealthiest with a $10.1 Billion Net Worth Surge
WRITTEN BY: CHIOMA MADONNA NDUKWU Aliko Dangote, the prominent Nigerian business magnate, has reclaimed his title as Forbes' Africa Richest Man. His net...
NIGERIA: Aba’s Contribution Crisis Shocks many as Woman Reportedly suffers memory loss while in custody of contribution funds
WRITTEN BY: CHIOMA MADONNA NDUKWU In a baffling turn of events, a woman entrusted with safeguarding funds from multiple contributors in Aba, Abia...
NIGERIA: Federal Commission Imposes $110M Fine on British American Tobacco for Law Violations
WRITTEN BY: CHIOMA MADONNA NDUKWU The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has imposed a hefty fine of $110 million on British...
NIGERIA: Zenith Bank Clinches Top Honors as Best Bank for Digital Solutions in Nigeria at Euromoney Awards 2023
WRITTEN BY: CHIOMA MADONNA NDUKWU Zenith Bank Plc triumphs at the Euromoney Awards 2023, securing the esteemed title of "Best Bank for Digital...
NIGERIA: Nairaland’s Shutdown- Forum Battles for Responsible Content as Owner’s Rapid Response is Unveiled
WRITTEN BY: CHIOMA MADONNA NDUKWU Nairaland, Nigeria's prominent online forum, faced a temporary shutdown due to offensive content, prompting a swift response from...
NIGERIA: Naira Scarcity Hits Christmas Shoppers Hard as ATMs Stay Dry
WRITTEN BY : CHIOMA MADONNA NDUKWU With the festive season in full swing, shoppers are feeling the pinch of a worsening naira scarcity,...
Crypto: The next big adoption challenge for African banks?
The last two decades have been tumultuous for African banking, with big international banks moving out of the continent and a bevvy of...
Top 10 Tallest buildings in Africa
ANALYSIS | Africa’s city ecosystem is attracting billions of dollars in new projects, making them home to some of the world’s glitziest and...
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Africa’s Talking Drum: Mama Nkem Left Before Her Daughter Was Ready
By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu Africa’s Talking Drum: Mama Nkem Left Before Her Daughter Was Ready In Umuoma Village, people said that a mother’s...
Cash Reportedly Stolen From Super Falcons Players’ Hotel Rooms in Casablanca
Cash Reportedly Stolen From Super Falcons Players’ Hotel Rooms in Casablanca The Super Falcons’ preparations for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations...
Harvard-Trained Nigerian-American Engineer Raises $7m for Robot Designed to Assist Hair Braiders A Nigerian-American engineer and Harvard graduate, Yinka Ogunbiyi, has secured $7 million in seed funding to develop a robotic device designed to make hair braiding faster and less physically demanding for professional stylists. Ogunbiyi’s company, HaloBraid, is developing what it describes as the world’s first patented braid-assist robot. The device is designed to work with hairstylists by handling some of the repetitive movements involved in knotless braiding. The funding round was led by Seven Seven Six, a venture capital firm founded by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. AlleyCorp and Bling Capital were also among the investors. The technology has already attracted significant interest, with more than 7,000 salons reportedly waiting to use the system. HaloBraid is designed as a collaborative robot, meaning it works alongside a human stylist instead of attempting to replace one. The hairstylist remains responsible for sectioning the hair, creating the initial knot and completing the final styling. The robot then assists with the repetitive weaving process down the length of the braid before the stylist returns to finish and shape the ends. According to the company, the technology could cut the time spent on some knotless braid appointments by roughly half, allowing salons to serve more clients while reducing the physical pressure on stylists. For Ogunbiyi, the idea was born from personal experience. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she spent four days installing knotless braids on herself, an experience that made her consider how technology could assist with the most repetitive aspects of the process. She subsequently teamed up with co-founder David Afolabi to develop HaloBraid. The company’s technology is also aimed at addressing the physical demands of professional braiding. Stylists who spend years performing repetitive movements can experience problems affecting their wrists, hands, shoulders, back and joints. By assisting with the most repetitive stage of braiding, HaloBraid hopes to reduce the strain on beauty professionals and help them work more efficiently. Ogunbiyi said the technology would not take away from the personal experience of visiting a salon. Rather, she believes it can allow stylists to spend less time on repetitive movements while continuing to handle the creative and personal aspects of hairstyling. Before launching HaloBraid, Ogunbiyi worked on smart kitchen appliances and Internet of Things products. She holds a joint master’s degree in engineering and business administration from Harvard University. With a $7 million investment and thousands of salons already expressing interest, HaloBraid is seeking to introduce robotics into one of the world’s largest and most labour-intensive beauty markets.
Harvard-Trained Nigerian-American Engineer Raises $7m for Robot Designed to Assist Hair Braiders A Nigerian-American engineer and Harvard graduate, Yinka Ogunbiyi, has secured $7...
Days to Their Wedding, VeryDarkMan Sends Peller and Jarvis a Serious Warning
Days to Their Wedding, VeryDarkMan Sends Peller and Jarvis a Serious Warning Social media critic Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, has...
IOC Declines to Investigate Infantino Over Alleged Political Neutrality Breach
IOC Declines to Investigate Infantino Over Alleged Political Neutrality Breach The International Olympic Committee has refused to pursue a complaint against FIFA President...
IMO APC YOUTH LEAGUE INAUGURATES BOOTH WATCHDOGS, WARD CANVASSERS TO STRENGTHEN GRASSROOTS STRUCTURE AHEAD OF 2027
The Imo State Chapter of the APC Youth League on Thursday, July 23, 2026, successfully hosted its Interactive Session and Banquet at the...
VIDEO: 68 Passengers Survive Enugu Air Crash-Landing at Benin Airport
VIDEO: 68 Passengers Survive Enugu Air Crash-Landing at Benin Airport Sixty-eight passengers have escaped without reported injuries after an Enugu Air aircraft crash-landed...
WASTE EVACUATION DELAYS WILL SOON EASE* *– LAWMA*
*PRESS RELEASE* *WASTE EVACUATION DELAYS WILL SOON EASE* *– LAWMA* *LASG to Acquire 3,000 Compactor Trucks Within Three Years* The Lagos Waste Management...
5 Members of Same Family Found Dead Inside Abia Residence
5 Members of Same Family Found Dead Inside Abia Residence A family of five has been found dead inside their residence in Umuimo...
US Weighs Military Action in Mali as Jihadist Threat Spreads Across the Sahel
US Weighs Military Action in Mali as Jihadist Threat Spreads Across the Sahel The United States is weighing possible military action against Jama’at...
African Talking Drum: Tortoise Lost More Than His Name
By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu African Talking Drum: Tortoise Lost More Than His Name In the old days, before the animals began keeping count...
