Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN), in partnership with Prudential Zenith Life Insurance and Prudence Foundation, has launched the 2026 edition of its financial literacy programme for children aged between eight and 12.
The Cha-Ching Financial Literacy Program is designed to help young Nigerians develop practical money management skills and build responsible financial habits from an early age.
The launch brought together representatives from the education and financial sectors, parents, teachers, pupils and other stakeholders committed to improving financial education among Nigerian children.
Speaking at the event, Acting Executive Director of Junior Achievement Nigeria, Olaolu Akogun, said financial literacy should be treated as a life skill that children need to learn early.
He said Cha-Ching has been central to JAN’s financial literacy efforts since it was introduced in Nigeria in 2019.
According to Akogun, the 2026 edition is expected to reach another 32,000 young learners while strengthening the involvement of parents and teachers.
Since its introduction, the programme has reached 46,687 pupils across 26 states. Participants completed six-week classroom mentorship sessions between 2019 and 2024.
The programme teaches children through four key concepts: Earn, Save, Spend and Donate.
Delivering the keynote address, themed “Building Financial Literacy for Smart Kids,” Wema Bank’s Product Manager and Proposition Manager, Kiddies Division, Anuli Nnadi, said financial education goes beyond teaching children how to save.
She said children must also develop the confidence and discipline needed to make sound financial decisions.
Nnadi encouraged parents to introduce age-appropriate financial lessons at home and allow children to participate in simple money-related decisions.
Representing Prudence Foundation and Prudential Zenith Life Insurance, the company’s Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer, Afolabi Lawal, described financial literacy as an important gift for the next generation.
Lawal said teaching children how to earn, save, spend and donate responsibly could help lay the foundation for a stronger financial future.
He added that Nigeria would join Ghana, Uganda and Kenya in the programme’s continental effort to provide structured, teacher-led financial education to 100,000 pupils.
The Director of Social Mobilisation at the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, Fawibe Boluwaji Alice, also urged children to avoid waste, develop responsible financial habits and cultivate generosity.
She said the habits children develop today could influence their financial decisions later in life.
Fawibe added that government would continue supporting initiatives that prepare children not only for academic examinations but also for life beyond the classroom.
The launch also featured a panel session involving teachers who participated in the previous edition and a parent of a beneficiary. They shared experiences on how financial education has affected pupils both in school and at home.
The organisers also unveiled the Cha-Ching learning materials and presented a documentary highlighting the programme’s impact during the 2024/2025 school year.
JAN’s Acting Head of Programs, Oluwatosin Oyetayo, said the organisation had seen children, parents and teachers set and achieve financial goals through the initiative.
He said the next phase would focus on taking financial literacy programme lessons beyond classrooms and helping children apply the habits in their everyday lives.
Through the continued partnership, JAN, Prudential Zenith Life Insurance and Prudence Foundation aim to expand access to financial education and raise a generation of financially confident and responsible young Nigerians.
