In Nigeria, breastfeeding is shaped by a complex mix of social expectations, cultural norms, and economic realities.

Despite WHO guidelines recommending six months of exclusive breastfeeding, only 29 percent of Nigerian mothers achieve this.

Formula feeding is often perceived as aspirational, a symbol of modern success. Breastfeeding, on the other hand, is stigmatized and under supported.

Women face pressure from workplaces, families, and peers to switch to formula early. Formula itself is a costly choice, consuming over 30 percent of monthly income for many households.

Yet no product or institution recognized breastfeeding as an economic act. Breastmilk Money was created to change that.

Breastfeeding delivers profound health and economic value, but this value is invisible. There are no financial products that reflect the daily care work mothers provide.

In Nigeria, financial systems overlook women in caregiving roles, leaving them excluded from tools that could empower them. Herconomy, Nigeria’s first digital bank for women, identified a strategic gap.

Breastfeeding mothers were saving real money by not buying formula, but had no mechanism to track that saving, grow it, or feel rewarded for it.

Breastmilk Money is a new feature within the Herconomy app that allows mothers to turn breastfeeding into measurable financial growth. It is the first bank account that offers interest on breastfeeding.

Mothers enter their baby’s age and feeding level. Using WHO breastfeeding standards and live formula prices from the National Bureau of Statistics, the app calculates how much the mother saves by not buying formula.

That amount is automatically transferred each month into a sub account that earns 14.3% interest. The rate reflects Oxford University research linking breastfeeding to a 14.3% increase in cognitive development.

The app experience is built for real life. It is intuitive, mobile first, and designed for one handed use. Animated meters and milestones make the experience emotionally rewarding. The interface helps mothers track savings, understand their value, and take pride in their care work.

The product launched at Nigeria’s largest women’s finance conference and was supported by an integrated campaign. It included education resources, out of home activations in key regions, social media with mom influencers, PR coverage, and partnerships with maternal health advocates.

The campaign did not assume who can or cannot breastfeed. It simply made the value of care work visible for those who do.

In its first three months:

Breastfeeding rates increased by 9 percent in targeted regions, Herconomy app sign ups grew by five times, Users calculated over 35 million US dollars in potential savings, The campaign generated more than 150 million dollars in earned media.

More importantly, the product shifted how mothers see themselves and how society views breastfeeding. It reframed maternal care as an economic act, offering women recognition and control without asking them to do anything new.

It also expanded the role of a digital bank, turning Herconomy into a platform for maternal empowerment, financial inclusion, and health equity. Breastmilk Money made invisible labor count, using a tool every mother already owns, her phone.