At just ten years old, Nigerian child innovator AbdulRazaq “Zaq” Isa has developed a smart savings app and published a children’s book aimed at improving financial literacy among young learners.
The app, Kids Future Funds Hub (KFFH), and his book, Zaqonomics: Financial Literacy for Kids, are designed to teach children practical money skills, including how to earn, save, spend, invest, and give, through relatable activities and simple concepts.
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Zaq, a budding tech enthusiast, created the brand “Zaqonomics” as a blend of his name and economics, reflecting his goal of helping children understand money at an early age.
He tells PREMIUM TIMES at his book presentation in Lagos that his interest in saving began during a family holiday when he earned $20 for doing chores and later discovered he had saved about $70, sparking an idea he believed other children could replicate.
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Zaqonomics
Zaq’s brand, Zaqonomics, is a symbolic fusion of his full name, Abdulrazaq, and the word “economics,” reflecting his mission to simplify finance for children.
“I wanted something that shows it’s about me and about money,” he said. “Kids like me should learn how to save and be rich in the future without depending on their parents,” he said.
His journey started during a family summer holiday when the household had no domestic help. Hoping to assist his mother, Zaq cleaned the kitchen and earned $20. Motivated by the experience, he continued saving.
When he eventually broke his piggy bank, he discovered he had accumulated about $70, a revelation that sparked the idea that children could learn to build wealth from simple daily activities.
“When I saw the money, I realised kids can actually make and save a lot if they understand how. That’s when Zaqonomics was born,” he said.
With support from his mother, Kate Isa, and his family, Zaq refined his vision. After repeated pitches to adults around him, he decided to build the app himself.
Unable to afford a professional developer, he taught himself to code using app-building software and invested US$245, his savings and family contributions, to bring KFFH to life.
Throughout the process, his parents enforced a strict one-hour screen-time rule, a structure that sharpened his discipline.
Ms Isa believes this framework helped fuel his innovation. “Every child needs well-defined boundaries. Discipline engenders mutual respect and a feeling of security and worth,” she said.
Zaq’s exceptional intelligence also caught the attention of his coach, Mr Obii Pax-Harry, who spoke glowingly about his drive and independence.
“Zaq already had a content page and was running ahead of us,” she noted, describing him as a child whose talent consistently outpaces expectations.
App
Now equipped with a functional app, the young innovator has begun engaging financial institutions. He pitched KFFH to Zenith Bank, proposing a partnership that would enable children to use a smart savings app alongside debit card tools, providing them with early exposure to real-world financial systems.
His book, Zaqonomics, extends the same mission. Through relatable stories, chores are transformed into earning opportunities, and the book incorporates puzzles, word searches, and hands-on activities to teach financial principles in a fun and practical way. Additionally, parents are guided on how to help children develop lifelong money habits.
READ ALSO: Booksellers raise alarm as overwhelming challenges undermine Nigeria’s book industry
In Nigeria, fintech platforms and microfinance institutions increasingly focus on youth financial education. Also, across Africa, edtech initiatives like Money Africa Kids continue to support early financial training.
For Ms Isa, Zaq’s journey underscores an essential lesson for families everywhere. “Take children seriously and support them. Greatness lies within, waiting to be unleashed,” she said.
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