Nigeria's First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has defended her recent remarks encouraging low-income Nigerians to venture into small-scale businesses such as frying akara, roasting corn, and producing kuli-kuli, insisting that the Federal Government remains committed to empowering grassroots entrepreneurs.
Her earlier comments, made while addressing journalists in Abuja on June 25, sparked widespread reactions on social media, with critics arguing that promoting traditional petty trading was out of step with the country's need to embrace innovation and technology-driven industries.
Responding to the criticism during an official event in Jigawa State on Monday, the First Lady dismissed the backlash, saying the government's empowerment programmes are designed to support ordinary Nigerians engaged in small businesses across local communities.
According to her, the intervention is not limited to akara vendors but also extends to traders dealing in tomatoes, pepper, vegetables, roasted plantains (known locally as bole), and other petty businesses.
“I've told Her Excellency that we've already given, donated about ₦100 million to her to use to empower 2,000 petty traders,” she said.
“And I know they've been talking that I said akara. It's not only akara; we also have tomato sellers. We have bole, and those also selling pepper, selling vegetables for us in the market.”
Tinubu disclosed that under the government's empowerment initiative, about 2,000 petty traders have each received grants of ₦50,000 to recapitalise and expand their businesses.
“We will continue to empower them and add to their resources so that their trade can really be sustainable. So that is what we are doing,” she added.
The First Lady maintained that criticism of her earlier remarks would not discourage the government from implementing programmes aimed at improving the livelihoods of low-income Nigerians.
“I know all those people who are affected; they do appreciate it. And we are not intimidated by all those wrong reports. But we are forging ahead and making sure that our people are well cared for,” she said.
She also encouraged Nigerian youths to explore the country's vast economic opportunities beyond the oil sector, stressing that Nigeria is endowed with abundant natural and economic resources that remain largely untapped.
“Nigeria is a really blessed country. I've been travelling, and I pray that our young people will see the resources we have in this nation. We have not even gone to explore yet because we are thinking it's oil. But there are so many things,” she said.
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