Nigerian Prodigies Make Waves: 12-Year-Old Coders Build Household Helper Robots

In a remarkable display of ingenuity, 12-year-olds Fathia Abdullahi and Oluwatobiloba Nsikakabasi Owolola from Nigeria have showcased their coding prowess by constructing functional robots designed to assist with household chores.

Fathia's creation, a clothes-folding machine capable of folding a T-shirt in just three seconds, was born out of the desire to streamline weekend chores. Motivated by the practical challenges of managing laundry on weekends, Fathia ingeniously developed a robot to simplify the folding process.

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Oluwatobiloba's invention is a grabber equipped with object-sensing capabilities, enabling it to identify nearby objects and relocate them to a designated position. Starting his coding journey at the age of 10, Oluwatobiloba programmed the grabber to recognize, grasp, and relocate objects efficiently.

Both prodigies honed their coding skills at Code Kids, a center in Lagos, Nigeria, dedicated to teaching children coding using Lego robotics kits and software. Code Kids aims to inspire the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers in Africa, recognizing the pivotal role coding plays in fostering creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration.

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As Africa boasts the world's youngest population, with over 60% under the age of 25, and is poised to have the largest workforce globally by 2030, the significance of acquiring digital skills, particularly coding, cannot be overstated. The World Economic Forum highlights the necessity for new skills to thrive in the digital economy.

Fathia and Oluwatobiloba's achievements exemplify the transformative potential of coding education for African youth. Beyond simplifying their lives, these young innovators serve as inspirations for others to follow suit. Fathia aspires to be a food scientist, leveraging coding for future inventions, while Oluwatobiloba harbors dreams of becoming a robotics engineer, envisioning larger and more sophisticated projects.

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Their accomplishments underscore the power of determination, hard work, and perseverance, proving that African children, when equipped with the right resources, can emerge as trailblazers.