The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Remi Tinubu, has advised poor Nigerians that starting small businesses, such as akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli, does not require much capital.
Speaking after hosting the wives of the 36 state governors in Abuja, the First Lady said her office has continued to support vulnerable Nigerians through grants designed to help beneficiaries establish small businesses without the burden of repayment.
The First lady while explaining the administration’s support for small businesses, said grants, not loans, were given to traders. “We didn’t give them a loan, we gave them a grant,” she stated.
She cited low-cost ventures like akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli as examples. “To start akara business doesn’t take a lot of money. To start roasting corn or kuli-kuli doesn’t take much,” she said.
“We’re trying to give hope and to start akara business doesn’t take a lot of money. To start roasting corn… somebody even said about grants, you see they’re saying that kuli-kuli doesn’t take much. We didn’t give them a loan, we gave it to them as a grant,” she said.
She added that over ₦3 billion has been spent empowering poor Nigerians.
Senator Tinubu explained that her office has prioritised grants over loans as part of efforts to empower Nigerians and encourage self-reliance.
“We’ve encouraged Nigerians as best as we could. What is within our hands, I have given and I keep giving, and those are the things we’ve done,” she stated.
The First Lady also highlighted several financial interventions she has supported in the health sector, including ₦2 billion for tuberculosis control, ₦1 billion for breast cancer initiatives and ₦500 million to tackle food malnutrition.
She added that her interventions have also covered agriculture, social investment, education, scholarships and digital skills training in collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
According to Senator Tinubu, negative narratives about the country’s economic situation have made life more difficult for many Nigerians, stressing that citizens should continue to embrace hope in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“The narrative has really changed to challenge the average man, whereas the average man is supposed to have hope. We have to renew our hope, 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.
