‘Starting An Akara, Roasted Corn Or Kuli-Kuli Business Doesn’t Require Much Capital’ — First Lady Remi Tinubu Urges Nigerians Not To Lose Hope

Abuja,  Nigeria — Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has urged Nigerians not to lose hope despite the country’s economic challenges, saying small-scale businesses such as selling akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli require little capital to start and can provide a source of livelihood.

The First Lady made the remarks after hosting the wives of the 36 state governors in Abuja, where she highlighted the interventions carried out through her office in support of healthcare, agriculture, education, social investment and economic empowerment.

Speaking on efforts to support vulnerable Nigerians, Mrs Tinubu said her office had focused on providing grants rather than loans to enable beneficiaries to establish small businesses.

“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 about grants, you see they’re saying that kuli-kuli doesn’t take much,” she said.

“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, you know, and those are the things we’ve done.”

The First Lady also listed several financial interventions she said had been made to address pressing health and social welfare concerns across the country.

“I remember giving for TB when I heard there’s so much TB cases.

“I gave two billion to breast cancer. I gave a billion to 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, that it will see the light of the day.”

She added that her office had also invested in agriculture, education, digital skills development and other social programmes aimed at improving the lives of Nigerians.

“So in Agric we’ve done, in social investment we have, in education we’ve given a little bit of scholarship, ICT training and with NIDA. So, all those are things, and we are still open, still want to do more,” she said.

Mrs Tinubu lamented what she described as the changing public narrative in the country, saying it had become increasingly discouraging for ordinary Nigerians.

“The narrative has really changed. It has changed to challenge the average man, whereas the average man is supposed to have hope.”

She said the administration of President Bola Tinubu remained committed to its “Renewed Hope Agenda” and urged Nigerians to embrace optimism despite prevailing economic difficulties.

“I like the idea that Mr President said 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.

“They don’t give up. Just keep [going]. We’re a very proud nation,” the First Lady said.