Zijin, a Chinese mining company, has started exporting lithium concentrate from the Manono project in the DRC. The Manono Lithium Mine is one of the largest lithium pegmatite deposits in the world. The exports started in June 2026, one month after the project’s processing plant entered production, according to Business Insider Africa. The exports mark the first time that the Democratic Republic of Congo has exported lithium. Congo exporting lithium for the first time The shipments are currently travellng overland and by sea, with the material expected to reach Chinese
The NAACP recently filed a request for a preliminary injunction to stop air pollution from Elon Musk’s company, xAI, and its parent company, MZX Tech. The lawsuit states that xAI is operating dozens of natural gas turbines at its Mississippi data centre without proper air permits, violating the Clean Air Act, and posing a risk to local communities’ health. But, how dangerous are these pollutants to local communities, and what are their long-term health risks? POCIT spoke with Glory Dolphin Hammes, the CEO of IQAir North America, who has years of experience
Black-owned beauty brand Ruka Hair has announced its partnership with Sephora in the US. The UK-based brand will launch nationwide at Sephora online on August 4, accompanied by a physical launch in 10 stores across New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta from August 14, according to Business of Fashion. Ruka Hair will be the first hair extension brand to launch in Sephora in 20 years. Ruka launching in Sephora Synths 2, Ruka’s patent-pending collagen-based fibre extensions, along with a selection of products including stylers and hair perfumes, will be available
Fawn and Keith Weaver’s roles at Uncle Nearest have been terminated, according to a court filing. The Weavers termination from Uncle Nearest Receiver Phillip G. Young Jr. shared the announcement in his fourth quarterly report, filed Friday, July 10, in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, according to the Moore County Observer. “While this decision was not made lightly,” Young said, “it has resulted in significantly less confusion among employees and vendors, and has made business operations significantly smoother.” The Weavers confirmed their termination in a joint answer
A Black fintech home-improvement financing platform has announced a new $150 million home-improvement loan portfolio. TGUC Financial, Inc. aims to fix the broken home improvement market by providing loans to homeowners, contractors, and lenders. The platform uses AI on both the business and customer service sides, with human agents. It also matches homeowners with vetted contractors through SmartMatch. The $150 million home-improvement loan portfolio The new initiative will help underprivileged communities upgrade their homes. The capital base of a credit union and a Community Development Financial Institution collaboration seeks to provide capital
Full Swing, a sports tech platform backed by Tiger Woods, has been acquired by Versant Media Group, Inc. Under the acquisition, Versant will take full ownership of Bruin Capital and a group of minority investors for around $530 million in cash. The sports technology company, with patented hardware and an integration platform, is used by competitive athletes, coaches, and commercial venues. “Full Swing is exactly the kind of strategic platform that reflects how we are building Versant: investing in our core markets, extending the reach of our iconic brands and
BRDRS, a fintech app designed for African and Caribbean diasporal travelers, has raised $1.3M in a Pre-Seed funding round. The app, which is the first of its kind, offers several features, including cross-border connectivity, a multi-currency digital wallet, and BRDRS Connect, which lets you buy and activate a local eSIM. POCIT sat down with CEO and co-founder Joy Martins to discuss how the app will serve the Black diaspora, the importance of a travel app for Black travelers, and how it aims to challenge misconceptions about Africa and the Caribbean.
Communications Minister Solly Malatsi is denying any claims that Elon Musk’s company influenced the planned changes to South Africa’s telecommunications licensing framework. Solly Malatsi denyling claims The claims come after policy changes to allow Equity Equivalent Investment Programmes (EEIPs) as an alternative to existing ownership requirements. But Malatsi claims that these changes were already included in the Democratic Alliance’s 2024 election manifesto and the Government of National Unity’s Medium Term Development Plan, according to Business Insider Africa. Additionally, Committee chairperson Khusela Sangoni alleges that public affairs firm Resolve Communications arranged
The Democratic Republic of Congo is set to launch its first stock exchange in 2027, which will include the Congolese franc and the US dollar. Finance Minister Doudou Fwamba Likunde Li-Botayi told Bloomberg News that the new exchange will allow the country to benefit from the growing demand for crucial minerals that will fuel the AI revolution. “The reality of our economy is that it is strongly dollarized,” Li-Botayi said in an email response, highlighting that more than 95% of total banking system deposits and over 80% of public securities
Elii Emeghebo, a Nigerian-Australian model, is accusing the brand Peter Jackson of using AI to whitewash one of his images. The model walked past Peter Jackson’s Pitt Street shop in Sydney two years ago and noticed an eerily similar image. He emailed his agent describing the man in the image as his “white twin”. “My nose was reshaped, my skin tone and my eye colour were significantly lightened, and there’s some reshaping around my eyebrows and my eye shape to be more Eurocentric and a lot less black,” he told
