Remi Tinubu sparks debate with akara, roasted corn business advice

First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu has come under fire on social media after urging Nigerians to consider small-scale businesses such as selling akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli as viable means of earning a living.

Tinubu made the remarks while speaking with State House Correspondents after the second-quarter meeting of the Renewed Hope Initiative with the wives of state governors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Explaining the initiative’s empowerment programmes, the First Lady said beneficiaries were given grants rather than loans to enable them to start businesses with little capital.

“We’re trying to give hope, and to start an 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,” she said.

She added that the initiative had continued to support Nigerians through interventions in healthcare, agriculture, education, ICT training and social investment programmes.

Tinubu disclosed that she donated N2 billion to combat tuberculosis, N1 billion for breast cancer interventions and N500 million to address malnutrition.

She urged Nigerians not to lose hope despite the country’s economic difficulties, saying the Renewed Hope Agenda was aimed at restoring optimism among citizens.

“The narrative has really changed to challenge the average man, whereas the average man is supposed to have hope. We have to renew our hope, and that’s what I have to tell Nigerians,” she said.

Her comments, however, sparked mixed reactions online, with many Nigerians accusing the First Lady of being disconnected from the economic realities facing citizens.

Some users on X argued that encouraging people to sell local snacks failed to address broader concerns about unemployment, inflation and the rising cost of living.

Others defended her remarks, insisting there was dignity in small businesses and that ventures such as akara and roasted corn sales had helped many Nigerians build sustainable livelihoods.

While supporters described the businesses as profitable and affordable to start, critics maintained that the issue was not the legitimacy of such ventures but the perception that the government’s response to widespread economic hardship was inadequate.