Publishes book to teach kids about money

At 10, Nigerian tech prodigy Zaq Isa is emerging as one of the country’s youngest champions of financial literacy.

The young entrepreneur has developed a smart savings app, Kids Future Funds Hub (KFFH), and published a book titled Zaqonomics: Financial Literacy for Kids — both designed to help children understand how to earn, save, spend, invest, and give.

Speaking with The Guardian, he explained that Zaqonomics is a symbolic fusion of his full name, Abdulrazaq, and 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.”

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, Dr Kate Isa, and other family members, 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. Dr 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, Apostle 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.

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 allow children to use a smart savings app alongside debit card tools — giving them early exposure to real-world financial systems.

His book, Zaqonomics, extends the same mission.

Through relatable stories, chores-turned-earning opportunities, puzzles, word searches, and hands-on activities, the book teaches financial principles in a fun and practical way. Parents are also guided on how to help children build lifelong money habits.

Observers note that Zaq’s achievements align with a growing global movement prioritising financial literacy for children. In Nigeria, fintech platforms and microfinance institutions increasingly focus on youth financial education. Across Africa, edtech initiatives like Money Africa Kids continue to support early financial training.
For Zaq’s mother, the journey of the 10-year-old underscores an important lesson for families everywhere. “Take children seriously and support them. Greatness lies within, waiting to be unleashed,” she said.

With Zaqonomics and the KFFH, Zaq is not just building his own entrepreneurial path — he is inspiring a rising generation of children to take charge of their financial futures.