Tinubu Defends Akara, Tomato Traders Empowerment Scheme Amid Backlash

Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Nigeria’s First Lady, has defended her remarks on small-scale businesses, insisting that the Federal Government’s empowerment programmes go beyond akara and tomato sellers and cover a wide range of petty traders across the country.

She made the clarification on Monday during the inauguration of the newly constructed Abubakar Maje Haruna Hall at the Emir of Hadejia’s Palace in Jigawa State, where she said the government remains committed to supporting small businesses despite criticism trailing her earlier comments.

Her earlier remarks mentioning akara, roasted corn, and kuli-kuli had triggered widespread reactions on social media, with critics accusing her of trivialising Nigeria’s economic hardship.

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Addressing the controversy, she announced that the Federal Government had released N100 million to the Jigawa State Government to empower 2,000 petty traders.

“Because of the atmosphere, what is going on, 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 boole [roasted plantain], and those also selling pepper, selling vegetables for us in the market, 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,” Tinubu added.

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She explained that each of the 2,000 beneficiaries will receive N50,000 to recapitalise their businesses under the already funded empowerment programme.

“We continue to carry the capacity, We have the amount of 2,000 women who are already in small businesses, They will recapitalise their businesses with the N50,000 each, We’ve already given the N100 million,” she stated.

Tinubu maintained that criticism would not derail the government’s efforts, insisting that beneficiaries appreciate the intervention.

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“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, you know, are well cared for,” she said.

She also used the opportunity to note Nigeria’s natural resources and urged young people to explore opportunities beyond oil, recalling her visit to an orange orchard in Benue State.

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