Innovation can come from anyone, regardless of age. For 17-year-old Nigerian developer Abdullah Ajala, creator of PayWise, it came from watching neighbourhood traders struggle to keep track of customers who bought goods on credit.
That simple observation has now earned him international recognition after he emerged winner of the Nomba x DevCareer Hackathon, beating more than 1,000 developers to claim the competition’s $4,000 grand prize with an AI-powered solution designed to help small businesses manage credit sales more efficiently.
His winning product, PayWise, demonstrates how technology built around everyday challenges can create meaningful impact for thousands of entrepreneurs.
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A Teenager’s AI Idea Solves a Real Business Problem
PayWise is an artificial intelligence assistant that works directly on WhatsApp, allowing traders and small business owners to record customer debts using voice notes in the language they are most comfortable speaking.
Instead of writing transactions in notebooks that can be misplaced or damaged, merchants simply send a voice message. The AI records the debt, keeps track of outstanding balances, sends payment reminders and automatically updates records once customers settle their bills.
The platform also understands major Nigerian languages, including Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo, making it accessible to a wider range of business owners who may not prefer typing in English.
For many small businesses that still rely on manual bookkeeping, the solution offers a practical way to embrace digital record keeping without changing familiar work routines.
From Notebook Records to AI-Powered Bookkeeping
Ajala explained that the inspiration for PayWise came from observing how traders in his community managed customer credit.
Many relied entirely on notebooks to keep financial records, creating problems whenever pages became damaged, lost or difficult to organise.
Choosing WhatsApp as the platform was a deliberate decision. Since many traders already use the messaging app daily to communicate with customers and suppliers, integrating financial record keeping into an existing habit makes adoption much easier.
One of the project’s biggest technical hurdles involved ensuring the AI could accurately understand different Nigerian accents, languages and speech patterns while maintaining context during conversations.
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Young Innovators Are Building Nigeria’s Future
The five-week Nomba x DevCareer Hackathon challenged developers to build products capable of solving real customer problems rather than creating demonstration projects. Participants had access to Nomba’s payment infrastructure, enabling them to build solutions using live APIs and financial technology tools.
Ajala’s PayWise claimed first place, while Glasspot, a digital group savings platform, finished second. Paye, a payment routing platform that simplifies integrations for merchants and developers, secured third place.
According to Nomba, the competition reflects the growing interest among young Nigerian developers in using artificial intelligence and fintech to solve local challenges.
Ajala’s victory is another reminder that some of Africa’s most impactful innovations are emerging from young minds focused on practical solutions for everyday problems.
Young innovators are redefining what is possible across Africa through technology, entrepreneurship and creativity. Follow RefinedNG for more stories celebrating Nigerians building solutions, breaking barriers and making a global impact.