Remi Tinubu Faces Backlash After Urging Nigerians to Start Akara, Corn Businesses

Nigeria's First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has sparked widespread debate after encouraging Nigerians to consider starting small businesses such as selling akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli, saying such ventures require little capital and can help improve livelihoods.

Mrs Tinubu made the remarks while speaking with journalists after the second-quarter meeting of the Renewed Hope Initiative with the wives of state governors at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday.

A video of her comments, shared on Friday by News Channel 247, quickly gained traction across social media platforms, triggering mixed reactions from Nigerians.

Explaining the objectives of the Renewed Hope Initiative, the First Lady said the programme focuses on providing grants, not loans, to vulnerable Nigerians to enable them to establish small businesses and become economically self-reliant.

"We're trying to give hope, and to start akara business doesn't take a lot of money. To start roasting corn or somebody even said kuli-kuli doesn't take much. We didn't give them a loan; we gave it to them as a grant.

"So we've encouraged Nigerians as best as we could. What is within our hands, I have given and I keep giving," she said.

Mrs Tinubu said the initiative has expanded beyond entrepreneurship support to include interventions in healthcare, education, agriculture and other social investment programmes.

She highlighted several donations she said she had personally made to support public health and humanitarian causes.

"I remember giving for TB. When I heard there were so many TB cases, I gave N2 billion. To breast cancer, I gave a billion. For food malnutrition, I gave half a billion.

"Those are the things we've been doing and making sure that whatever this government is trying to do, it will see the light of day."

According to her, the initiative has also provided scholarships, ICT training opportunities and agricultural support programmes aimed at improving the welfare of Nigerians.

She urged citizens not to lose hope despite the country's current economic challenges.

"The narrative has really changed, has changed to challenge the average man, whereas the average man is supposed to have hope. So I like the idea that Mr President says this is the Renewed Hope Agenda.

"We have to renew our hope, and that's how we renew our hope. That's what I have to tell Nigerians."

Social media reactions

Her comments on starting small businesses, however, quickly became one of the most discussed topics on social media, with many users arguing that the advice did not adequately address the country's broader economic challenges.

An X user, @ADCVanguard_, described the remarks as evidence of what the user called a disconnect between the political class and the realities facing ordinary Nigerians.

Another user, @ireteeh, contrasted the initiative's entrepreneurship support with private-sector career development programmes, while @firstladyship (Nefertiti) criticised the comments amid concerns over the country's economic situation.

Others, however, defended the First Lady, arguing that there is dignity in small businesses and that many Nigerians have built successful livelihoods through such ventures.

An X user, @Akikanju1568901, described akara as one of Nigeria's most profitable informal businesses, saying it has enabled many families to fund university education and acquire property.

Similarly, @PemiOladapo argued that small businesses should not be looked down upon.

"There's dignity in labour... these are our local snacks. People should start it and scale it."

Another commentator, @TossynBankz_, said the criticism was less about the businesses themselves and more about the wider economic environment.

"Nobody is mocking akara, roasted corn, or kuli-kuli. Those are honest businesses. The problem is that Nigerians are asking for a better economy, more jobs and lower prices. Telling people to start selling akara in this situation just feels like the government doesn't understand what people are going through."

The comments have continued to generate discussion online, reflecting broader public conversations about entrepreneurship, job creation and the rising cost of living in Nigeria.