Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has clarified her earlier remarks about akara trading following public criticism, saying her comments were intended to encourage support for small-scale businesses and grassroots entrepreneurs.
Speaking in Kogi State in a video posted by TVC on Saturday, July 11, 2026, the First Lady said there is dignity in petty trading and urged financially capable Nigerians to assist small business owners. She cited the example of a university graduate in Abuja who turned to selling akara after failing to secure employment.
According to her, “There are pepper sellers, there are vegetable sellers, there are okra sellers, melon sellers, akara, and kuli-kuli. Akara is delicious. I can tell you that. And there was once when I read an article about a young graduate who said he didn’t get a job. And he said he sells akara because he couldn’t get a job. And he’s in Abuja. We approached him, but I didn’t put my name to it. We equipped him more. He now has 12 workers working under him, and he’s doing very well.”
Oluremi Tinubu explained that support was quietly provided to help the graduate expand his business rather than for publicity. She said the intervention enabled him to grow his enterprise, employ other people, and improve his livelihood, adding that empowering small businesses remains an important way to create opportunities at the grassroots level…..See More
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