Meet Kano teenager who invented IED, solid mineral detector

At just 19 years old, Khalifa Aminu, a teenage inventor from Kano, is making waves with groundbreaking innovations that have the potential to tackle some of Nigeria’s pressing challenges—from insecurity to underdeveloped mining.

In an exclusive interview with SolaceBase, Khalifa revealed that he has successfully built a machine capable of detecting Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and solid minerals beneath the earth’s surface in less than one second.

According to him, the invention is the first of its kind in Nigeria and could offer affordable alternatives to expensive foreign equipment.

Khalifa, who hails from Gobirawa quarters in Dala Local Government Area of Kano State, began inventing machines from an early age. Widely known as “the inventor of blind people’s spectacles,” his passion for technology and innovation started before he was enrolled in school.

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“I can’t really say when I started inventing, I just grew up seeing myself building things,” he said.

Although his formal education faced multiple interruptions due to financial constraints, Khalifa’s thirst for knowledge never waned.

“I attended Abba Naliti Primary School and started secondary education at Government Secondary School, Gwammaja, but I couldn’t complete it initially. Despite a promise from a former Kano State governor to support my education, the assistance didn’t fully materialize. Eventually, I  completed my SSCE with help from another sponsor.”

Khalifa’s inventions are not only impressive for their technical value but also for the fact that he is entirely self-taught. Relying on resources like Google, YouTube, and Artificial Intelligence tools, he conducts research day and night—often working alone and without formal engineering training.

One of his early breakthroughs was a pair of glasses for the visually impaired. The glasses are equipped with sensors that detect obstacles and alert the wearer with sounds, helping them avoid collisions. He explained.

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 “If the person wearing them doesn’t stop, the glasses will keep beeping to prevent them from hitting anything.”

The most talked-about of his recent projects is the IED and solid mineral detector. The device can instantly detect bombs buried underground or valuable minerals like gold. Unlike imported versions that cost between ₦3 million to ₦5 million, Khalifa’s locally built alternative is more affordable, making it a potential game-changer for small-scale miners and security operatives alike.

“The idea was inspired by the need to improve national security and make mining easier and cheaper for Nigerians,” he said.

Currently, the invention is fully functional and has been successfully tested.

But Khalifa isn’t stopping there. He’s also working on a new technology aimed at disrupting the operations of bandits and kidnappers. According to him, the device will interfere with communication signals used by terrorists and prevent the kind of coordinated attacks often witnessed in parts of the country.

“Technology is the best tool we can use to defeat insecurity,” he noted.