Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has sparked widespread reactions on social media after encouraging Nigerians to consider starting small businesses such as selling akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli, describing them as ventures that require minimal capital.
Mrs Tinubu made the remarks while speaking with State House Correspondents after the second-quarter meeting of the Renewed Hope Initiative with wives of state governors at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday.
A video of the interaction, shared by News Channel 247 on Friday, has since generated intense debate online.
Explaining the objectives of the Renewed Hope Initiative, the First Lady said beneficiaries receive grants rather than loans to help them establish businesses and improve their livelihoods.
“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 also highlighted several humanitarian interventions carried out through the initiative, covering sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education and social investment.
She disclosed that she donated N2 billion to support tuberculosis treatment, N1 billion for breast cancer interventions and N500 million to combat malnutrition.
“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.
“So those are the things we’ve been doing and making sure we can make sure that whatever this government is trying to do, it will see the light of day,” she stated.
According to the First Lady, the initiative has also funded scholarship programmes, ICT training and agricultural empowerment schemes aimed at improving the lives of Nigerians.
She urged citizens not to lose hope despite prevailing economic challenges, stressing that the Renewed Hope Agenda was designed to inspire optimism.
“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 say this is the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“We have to renew our hope, and that’s how we renew our hope, you know, and that’s what I have to tell Nigerians,” she added.
However, her comments quickly attracted criticism from many Nigerians on social media, with several users arguing that the advice reflected a disconnect between the country’s leadership and the realities facing ordinary citizens.
An X user identified as @ADCVanguard_ described the remarks as evidence of how detached the political elite had become from the struggles of everyday Nigerians.
Another user, @ireteeh, compared the initiative to private-sector efforts, saying, “The First Lady is empowering people with akara, corn, and kuli-kuli, while an ordinary citizen with limited resources is equipping people to build thriving careers in cybersecurity.”
Similarly, @firstladyship, also known as Nefertiti, wrote, “Nigerians are in big trouble. There is fire on the mountain but the people are tired of running.”
Despite the criticism, several Nigerians defended the First Lady, insisting there was nothing wrong with encouraging small businesses that have supported many families over the years.
An X user, @Akikanju1568901, argued that selling akara remains one of the most profitable small-scale businesses in Nigeria due to its relatively low startup cost and strong demand.
According to the user, many akara vendors have successfully trained their children in universities, built houses and acquired vehicles through the trade.
Another user, @PemiOladapo, said there was dignity in every legitimate occupation, encouraging Nigerians to start such ventures and expand them over time.
Offering a more balanced perspective, @TossynBankz_ said the controversy was less about the businesses themselves and more about the broader economic situation.
“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 user wrote.
