Nigerian are to engage on “Roasted Corn, Kuli Kuli and Akara business”

Senator Remi Tinubu advice Nigerian to engage on “Roasted Corn, Kuli Kuli and Akara business”                June 2026

First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu went viral this week after telling Nigerians to consider small businesses like akara, roasted corn, and kuli-kuli to cope with hardship. 

What she said

Speaking after the Renewed Hope Initiative’s meeting with governors’ wives at the State House, Abuja on Wednesday: 

“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 added that the grants are meant to help vulnerable Nigerians start businesses without repayment. 

She also listed other interventions: N2bn for TB, N1bn for breast cancer, N500m for malnutrition, plus scholarships, ICT training, and agriculture support. 

The backlash

The video, shared by News Channel 247 on Friday, sparked criticism on X/social media. 

Critics said:

1. “Disconnected from reality” - Nigerians want jobs, lower cost of living, not “roadside trading advice”
2. “Insulting” - @Susan: “This is an insult to Nigerians”
3. Contrast with spending - People compared it to trillion-naira projects like the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway
4. Economic difficulty - Users noted inflation, high costs, and weak purchasing power make small businesses hard to sustain
   

Her defense: “We’ve encouraged Nigerians as best as we could. What is within our hands, I have given, and I keep giving”. She also urged Nigerians not to lose hope despite economic challenges.

It’s part of the Renewed Hope Initiative’s micro-grant push for small-scale entrepreneurship. But the “akara and roasted corn” framing hit a nerve because many Nigerians are struggling with inflation, kidnappings, and job losses.