First Lady says government provided grants, not loans, to help Nigerians start small businesses and improve their livelihoods.
Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has sparked widespread reactions on social media after suggesting that Nigerians consider small-scale businesses such as selling akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli, saying they require little capital to start.
Mrs Tinubu made the remarks while addressing State House correspondents after the Renewed Hope Initiative’s second-quarter meeting with wives of state governors in Abuja. She explained that the initiative provides grants—not loans—to help beneficiaries establish small businesses and improve their livelihoods.
“We’re trying to give hope, and to start 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.
The comments generated criticism on social media, with some Nigerians arguing that the remarks did not adequately reflect the economic realities facing many citizens amid rising living costs.
Highlighting the initiative’s broader interventions, the First Lady said she had donated ₦2 billion to combat tuberculosis, ₦1 billion for breast cancer interventions, and ₦500 million to address malnutrition.
She added that the Renewed Hope Initiative has also supported programmes in healthcare, agriculture, education, ICT training, scholarships and social investment, urging Nigerians not to lose hope despite the country’s economic challenges.
“The narrative has really changed to challenge the average man, whereas the average man is supposed to have hope. So I like the idea that Mr President says this is the Renewed Hope Agenda,” she said.
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