Remi Tinubu Sparks Debate Over Comments on Small Business Costs

(Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu. Photo by Sun Nigeria)

Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu, has found herself at the centre of a social media storm after advising Nigerians that starting small businesses such as akara, roasted corn, and kuli-kuli does not require significant capital.

The remarks were made in a video circulating online, where the First Lady was speaking about the administration’s support for small businesses through grants.

“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,” she said.

The comments sparked a wave of reactions online, with many users arguing that the remarks reflected a deep disconnect from the economic realities facing ordinary Nigerians.

One user, @Susan, described the statement as an outright insult to Nigerians.

Another, @DedeHydra, blamed the electorate for the current state of affairs, arguing that the comments exposed how far removed the administration was from the struggles of everyday citizens.

@YanaOffycial suggested the remarks reflected poorly on the administration as a whole, while PoliticalPhoenix argued that small grants for petty trade could not address the broader economic devastation caused by fuel price increases and runaway inflation.

@MrEazzy and DonC also voiced sharp criticism, with the latter arguing that the First Lady’s advice revealed a government that had no meaningful vision for Nigerian youth.

However, not all reactions were negative. One user, @Akikanju, pushed back against the criticism, defending the akara business as one of Nigeria’s most lucrative small-scale ventures with a profit margin of over 50 percent, and argued that many Nigerian youths lacked the drive to explore the opportunities available to them.

“To start Akara business doesn’t take a lot of money. To start roasting corn and 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.”

– First Lady Remi Tinubu pic.twitter.com/tnDNJavTH8

— Oyindamola🙄 (@dammiedammie35) June 25, 2026