The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Remi Tinubu, has advised Nigerians with limited financial means that starting small businesses such as selling akara, roasted corn or kuli-kuli does not require significant capital.
Speaking about the Federal Government’s efforts to support small-scale entrepreneurs through grants, the First Lady said:
“To start an akara business doesn’t take a lot of money. To start roasting corn or selling kuli-kuli doesn’t take much. We didn’t give them a loan; we gave them a grant. We have encouraged Nigerians as best as we could. I also gave to several others.”
She added that more than ₦3 billion has been spent on programmes aimed at empowering low-income Nigerians.
However, her remarks sparked criticism on X, with many users arguing that the country’s current economic challenges have made it increasingly difficult for small businesses to survive. Several commenters said that while the required start-up capital may be modest, rising inflation, high operating costs and weak consumer purchasing power have made sustaining such businesses far more challenging.
