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By Chinenye Anuforo
More than 2,500 secondary school students in Lagos have acquired practical financial management skills through the Spark-ED Project, a school-based financial literacy programme designed to equip teenagers with budgeting, saving and financial planning skills that are largely absent from Nigeria’s secondary school curriculum.
The programme, implemented by Worden HCD Ltd/GTE with support from Access Holdings, reached 2,543 students across selected Lagos schools. Participants were trained on how to track expenses, distinguish between needs and wants, create simple budgets and develop saving habits using practical, real-life scenarios.
Sixteen-year-old student Chidinma said the programme changed her relationship with money. According to her, she now tracks her daily spending, sets weekly savings targets and assists her mother in planning household expenses. She added that the lessons have helped her begin planning for a small business she hopes to start after completing secondary school.
Chidinma explained that before joining the programme, she had little understanding of money management and often spent her lunch money without planning. She said the programme taught her that consistent saving and proper budgeting can help turn ideas into achievable goals.
Organisers of the programme said Spark-ED was created to address a critical gap in Nigeria’s education system, where students are taught academic subjects but receive little or no exposure to financial literacy. They noted that many participants come from low-income households, making it important for them to learn how to manage limited resources effectively.
According to Ifereke Brendan, who coordinates the project, the programme focuses on practical application rather than theory, enabling students to use the skills immediately in their daily lives. He said teaching young people how to manage money early can influence their long-term financial behaviour and decision-making.
Teachers and parents have reported positive changes in the behaviour of students who completed the programme. Some students have begun encouraging savings among their siblings, while others now assist their parents in comparing prices and planning household spending. One parent said her daughter introduced the idea of a family budget at home and now participates in weekly financial planning discussions.
Access Holdings funded the initiative as part of its effort to promote financial inclusion and responsible financial behaviour among young people. The organisation said equipping teenagers with money management skills reduces their vulnerability to financial scams, encourages savings and prepares them to use financial services more responsibly in the future.
Organisers disclosed that following the success of the pilot phase, the Spark-ED Project will expand to more Lagos schools in 2026, with plans to reach at least 10,000 students. They said the goal is to empower young Nigerians with the confidence and skills needed to manage money effectively and contribute meaningfully to the economy.
