Yellow Cowries Financial Literacy

What Yellow Cowries Financial Literacy does

Yellow Cowries Limited is a Nigerian financial literacy education company founded in 2018 by Tokunboh Ishmael and headquartered in Victoria Island, Lagos. It delivers financial education through a gamified curriculum anchored on two proprietary frameworks — Plan-Save-Invest (PSI) for individuals and Plan-Manage-Fund (PMF) for micro and small enterprises (MSEs) — packaged across a mobile app (PSI on Google Play and iOS App Store), branded Financial Wellbeing Playing Cards, books for kids and adults, and budgeting templates. Programs are delivered via YC Financial Literacy Learning Clubs and Learning Circles operating in secondary schools, tertiary institutions (including UNILAG), trade associations, and community development associations; reach is amplified through volunteer mentorships and the annual Brainee Competition, now in its 7th edition and spanning Lagos and Akwa Ibom.

The company serves a mixed base of secondary school students, university students, young adults, women, and MSE owners, with schools and MSEs identified as primary segments. Revenue combines one-time product sales (e.g., ₦10,000 per book) with corporate donations and sponsorships structured as tiered packages ranging from ₦30,000 (Sponsor a Child) to ₦3,000,000 (Adopt a Tertiary Institution, Train MSEs). Distribution runs through a direct e-commerce storefront, app stores, and institutional partnerships with banks (Union Bank, Stanbic IBTC, VBankNG, Cowrywise), the Lagos State Government, the Akwa Ibom Ministry of Education, Junior Achievement Nigeria, CFA Society Nigeria, and SMEDAN. The organization states a goal of impacting 100,000 individuals through financial literacy by 2024.

With a team of approximately 9 employees, no disclosed external funding rounds, and no disclosed revenue, Yellow Cowries operates more like a financially sustainable impact organization than a venture-scaled business. Its competitive position rests on a proprietary curriculum, an established school-based club network, and a deep roster of financial-sector and government sponsors that competitors would struggle to assemble quickly.

Name

Yellow Cowries Financial Literacy

Legal name

Yellow Cowries Limited

Website

https://yellowcowries.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Yellow Cowries is a Lagos-based financial literacy education company founded in 2018 that uses gamified tools (mobile app, playing cards, books) and school- and community-based learning circles to teach money management to Nigerian secondary and university students, young adults, women, and micro/small business owners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Financial Literacy Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Financial & Consumer Literacy (Banking, Credit, Contracts) (EDAAAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Personal Finance & Financial Literacy for Students (EDAMAIAH), Small Business & Self-Employment Personal Finance (Income, Expenses, Cash Reserves) (EDAAAJAL), Budgeting & Cash-Flow Management (EDAAAJAA)

Keywords

• Financial literacy education
• Gamified learning tools
• Microenterprise training
• Financial inclusion programs
• Youth money management

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Sale of financial literacy products including books (Kids and Adults at ₦10,000 each) and playing cards, through e-commerce storefront.
2. Donations and Sponsorships: Corporate and individual donations for sponsorship packages including Adopt a School (₦1,500,000), Sponsor a Library (₦1,000,000), Sponsor a Child (₦30,000), and training programs for MSEs (₦3,000,000).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Yellow Cowries delivers gamified financial literacy education through proprietary Plan-Save-Invest (PSI) and Plan-Manage-Fund (PMF) curricula, packaged as a mobile app, playing cards, and books for kids and adults. The company runs community-based learning clubs/circles, school adoption programs, mentorship, and an annual Brainee Competition to teach budgeting, saving, and investing to students, young adults, women, and micro/small business owners in Nigeria.

Product overview

Yellow Cowries Financial Literacy offers a suite of gamified financial literacy products centered around their Plan-Save-Invest (PSI) and Plan-Manage-Fund (PMF) curriculum frameworks. The core product portfolio includes a mobile app, educational playing cards, and books for both kids and adults. The company delivers financial education through learning clubs/learning circles in schools and universities, mentorship programs, annual Brainee competitions, and MSE-specific circles for micro and small entrepreneurs. Content is reinforced through video series (Cowrie Convos) and budgeting tools/templates. The mobile app and playing cards serve as the primary gamification engines, while books provide curriculum-based learning materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Plan-Save-Invest (PSI): A comprehensive financial literacy curriculum and mobile app focused on planning, saving, and investing.
• YC Financial Literacy Learning Clubs/Circles
• Plan-Manage-Fund (PMF)
• Cowrie Convos

Products and services

• PSI Plan Save Invest Mobile App Mobile application providing expense tracking, budgeting, and financial management tools with the gamified Plan-Save-Invest curriculum; available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store for students, young adults, and general consumers.
• Financial Wellbeing Playing Cards A deck of cards containing financial literacy tips and game mechanics to guide users through financial decisions; used in gamified learning sessions for students and community groups.
• Financial Wellbeing for Kids Curriculum book teaching financial management concepts for children and young adults in an easy-to-understand format.
• Financial Wellbeing for Adults Book covering money management, budgeting, and investment strategies for adults seeking financial wellbeing; priced at ₦10,000 per copy.
• YC Financial Literacy Learning Clubs/Circles Group sessions using Yellow Cowries curriculum to discuss and learn financial tips in secondary schools, universities, and associations; delivered as after-school programs and community groups.
• YC Annual Financial Literacy Brainee Competition Annual competition testing financial literacy skills and capability of students from YC financial literacy clubs across Nigerian states including Lagos and Akwa Ibom.
• Financial Literacy Circles for Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) Financial literacy circles specifically designed for micro and small business owners using Plan-Manage-Fund (PMF) tools to enhance financial management and decision-making.
• Train MSEs on Financial Literacy (Corporate Training Program) One-day corporate training program for micro and small businesses on the PMF Financial Literacy Curriculum and playing cards; priced at ₦3,000,000.

Quantifiable outcome

• 36% of Nigerian adults are financially excluded, establishing the market need
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Crimson OakcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Sponsor of the 7th edition Yellow Cowries Financial Literacy Brainee Competition.
• CowrywisecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Sponsor of the 7th edition Yellow Cowries Financial Literacy Brainee Competition and featured in Walkathon commemorating Global Money Week 2025.
• Alitheia CapitalcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Sponsor of the 7th edition Yellow Cowries Financial Literacy Brainee Competition. Alitheia Capital is the firm where Yellow Cowries founder serves as co-founder and managing director.
• SKLDcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Sponsor of the 7th edition Yellow Cowries Financial Literacy Brainee Competition.
• Lagos State GovernmentcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Government partner supporting the 7th edition Brainee Competition and 2nd Walkathon for Global Money Week 2025, providing institutional backing and education department involvement.
• Stanbic IBTC HoldingscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Generous sponsor of the Akwa Ibom Brainee Competition, partnering with Junior Achievement Nigeria and Akwa Ibom Ministry of Education.
• VBankNGcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Co-host of Braniee Competition with Yellow Cowries as part of Global Money Week, providing sponsorship and platform support.
• Junior Achievement Nigeria (Jani)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Collaborated with Yellow Cowries and Akwa Ibom Ministry of Education for the Akwa Ibom Brainee Competition.
• Akwa Ibom Ministry of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Government ministry partner for the Akwa Ibom Brainee Competition, providing institutional support and student access.
• Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 June 2024Provided valuable insights on accessing funds and grants for businesses at the CDA Surulere meeting introducing Yellow Cowries Financial Literacy Circles for MSEs.
• Union Bank NigeriaflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 31 October 2023Union Bank served as the headline sponsor for the 2023 Financial Literacy Brainee Competition, aligning their shared commitment to promoting financial education and empowerment among Lagos State students.
• CFA Society NigeriacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Conducted train-the-trainer sessions where trained leaders held multiple sessions teaching participants to play and learn from the financial literacy card game, then led curriculum discussions.
• AlitheiacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization supporting Yellow Cowries' mission, logo displayed on partners section of measurable impacts page.
• CFAcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCFA Society Nigeria partnership, logo displayed on partners section.
• wEMAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization, logo displayed on partners section of measurable impacts page.
• CoronaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization, logo displayed on partners section of measurable impacts page.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Junior Achievement Nigeria: JA Nigeria delivers youth financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship programs in Nigerian schools, directly comparable to Yellow Cowries' school-based financial literacy clubs. JA Nigeria is already a co-delivery partner with Yellow Cowries and Stanbic IBTC for the Akwa Ibom Brainee Competition, confirming direct overlap in product, customer, and mission.

Broad incumbents

• PiggyVest: PiggyVest is one of Nigeria's largest consumer savings and investment platforms, serving millions of users (including students and young adults) with embedded financial education content. It overlaps with Yellow Cowries on the financial literacy mission for Nigerian youth and young adults, but operates a broader fintech stack rather than a specialized curriculum.
• Cowrywise: Cowrywise is a Nigerian digital wealth management platform that publishes financial literacy content and has sponsored Yellow Cowries' Brainee Competition. It targets overlapping user segments (students, young professionals) with savings/investment products and embedded education, making it a broad incumbent competitor in financial inclusion content.
• Risevest: Risevest is a Nigerian dollar-denominated investment platform that publishes financial education content targeting young professionals and savers. It overlaps with Yellow Cowries' young-adult financial planning audience and offers an alternative channel for financial literacy, but with a broader investment product suite.
• Paga: Paga is a Nigerian mobile payments and financial services platform with a long-standing financial inclusion mission targeting underserved and unbanked consumers. It overlaps with Yellow Cowries' financial inclusion and adult literacy themes but delivers them through transactional payments infrastructure rather than curriculum and clubs.
• Kuda Bank: Kuda is a Nigerian digital-only bank targeting young, tech-savvy consumers with embedded financial education and money management features. It overlaps with Yellow Cowries on the young-adult financial literacy segment and provides app-based budgeting tools comparable in spirit to Yellow Cowries' PSI mobile app.

Emerging players

• Carbon: Carbon is a Nigerian digital lending and financial services platform with financial wellness features targeting young professionals and consumers. It intersects with Yellow Cowries on financial education for young adults and emerging-market consumers, but is focused on credit access rather than curriculum-based literacy.
• Moniepoint: Moniepoint (formerly Kudimoney) is a Nigerian fintech serving SMEs and micro-businesses with payments and banking products. Its overlap with Yellow Cowries' MSE financial literacy segment makes it a comparable player for the small-business financial education market, though delivered through transactional banking rather than curriculum.
• FairMoney: FairMoney is a Nigerian digital lending and consumer banking platform with financial education content targeting salaried workers and small business owners. It intersects with Yellow Cowries on the MSE and young-adult financial literacy segments, but is primarily a credit-led platform.

Others

• EFInA (Enhancing Financial Innovation & Access): EFInA is a financial inclusion research and advocacy organization focused on expanding access to financial services in Nigeria. It is comparable to Yellow Cowries as an adjacent ecosystem participant driving the financial inclusion agenda, though it operates as a research/policy body rather than an education provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/yellowcowries?s=21&t=uXYadF7Safa6Vx_W6zKbCQ
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@yellowcowries4923
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yellow-cowries

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Yellow Cowries Financial Literacy