First Lady Oluremi Tinubu Faces Backlash for Telling Hungry Nigerians to Sell Akara, Roasted Corn and Kuli-Kuli

First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu has come under heavy criticism after encouraging Nigerians to start small businesses like selling akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli, saying they require little capital to start, with many accusing her of being disconnected from the harsh reality facing millions of citizens.

Speaking on Wednesday after the Renewed Hope Initiative’s second-quarter meeting with wives of state governors at the State House, Abuja, Tinubu said the government was trying to give hope to Nigerians through grants and other interventions. “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 First Lady also defended President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidy, saying they were necessary to build lasting foundations for future generations. “What we are doing in this administration is to make sure that even generations unborn would benefit. I believe there are a lot of foundations that the President has had to rebuild and rejig so that we can build lasting legacies that will transcend this administration,” she said. She acknowledged that the reforms had been tough but insisted Nigerians had demonstrated resilience.

She also urged young Nigerians to stop complaining about unemployment and instead visit ministries to ask about available opportunities. “They say there are no jobs. Have you visited any ministry to ask what they have for the people? That is what the ministries and agencies owe the public. They can go there and ask, ‘What do you have for us? What can I key into?’” she said.

“To start akara business doesn’t take a lot of money. To start roasting corn or kuli-kuli doesn’t take much. We didn’t give them a loan, we gave them a grant. We have encouraged Nigerians as best as we could, I also gave to several others.”

-Senator Remi Tinubu, First Lady of… pic.twitter.com/qn4rawWQXN

— CHUKS 🍥 (@ChuksEricE) June 25, 2026

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The remarks triggered swift backlash on social media, with many Nigerians accusing the First Lady of trivialising the economic hardship facing ordinary citizens. A user, @ADCVanguard_, said the video showed “exactly how disconnected Nigeria’s ruling class has become from the reality of ordinary citizens”. Another user, @ireteeh, contrasted the initiative with private-sector efforts, saying, “The First Lady is empowering people with akara, corn, and kuli-kuli, while an ordinary citizen with limited resources is equipping people to build thriving careers in cybersecurity”.

A user identified as Nefertiti (@firstladyship) said, “Nigerians are in big trouble. There is fire on the mountain but the people are tired of running”.

However, some social media users defended the First Lady, insisting there was nothing wrong with encouraging Nigerians towards such businesses. A user, @Akikanju1568901, said akara is “one of the most lucrative businesses in Nigeria,” with a low startup cost and high profit margin, adding that “akara sellers sent many kids… to universities, built houses, bought cars”.

The First Lady also highlighted several interventions her office had undertaken, including donating N2 billion to tackle tuberculosis, N1 billion for breast cancer interventions and N500 million to address food malnutrition. She said the Renewed Hope Initiative was created to complement government interventions by enabling states to multiply support programmes and extend their reach to citizens. “As mothers in the nation, all I do is just coordinate them,” she said.

But for many Nigerians struggling to afford basic meals amid soaring food prices and inflation, the First Lady’s advice to start akara and kuli-kuli businesses has done little to inspire hope.

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