“We’re Giving Hope To Start Akara Business & Kuli Kuli Doesn’t Take Much”, Remi Tinubu

Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu, has urged Nigerians not to lose hope despite the country’s economic challenges, saying small-scale businesses such as selling akara (bean cake), roasting corn and producing kulikuli require little capital and can provide a means of livelihood.

The First Lady made the remarks after hosting the wives of the 36 state governors in Abuja, where she highlighted the various interventions and grants provided through her office to support vulnerable Nigerians.

Speaking on efforts to empower citizens, Senator Tinubu said her initiatives have focused on giving grants rather than loans to enable beneficiaries to start small businesses.

“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 kulikuli doesn’t take much. We didn’t give them a loan, we gave it to them as a grant,” she said.

According to her, the government and her office have continued to encourage Nigerians through different empowerment programmes.

“So we’ve encouraged Nigerians as best as we could. What is within our hands, I have given and I keep giving, you know, and those are the things we’ve done,” she stated.

The First Lady also outlined several financial interventions she said she had personally supported in key sectors, including healthcare and nutrition.

“I remember giving for TB when I heard there’s so much TB cases, I gave two billion (naira). To breast cancer, I gave a billion (naira). To food malnutrition, I gave half a billion (naira).

“So those are the things we’ve been doing and making sure we can make sure that whatever this government is trying to do, that it will see the light of the day.”

She further listed agriculture, social investment, education and digital skills among the sectors that have benefited from her initiatives.

“So in Agric, we’ve done; in social investment, we have; in education, we’ve given a little bit of scholarship, ICT training and with NITDA (National Information Technology Development Agency). So and all those are things and we are still open, still want to do more,” she added.

Senator Tinubu said negative narratives surrounding the country’s situation have made life more difficult for ordinary Nigerians, stressing that citizens must continue to embrace hope in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“The narrative has really changed, has changed to challenge the average man whereas the average man is supposed to have hope. So I like the idea that Mr President said this is the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“We have to renew our hope and that’s how we renew our hope, you know, and that’s what I have to tell Nigerians.

“They don’t give up. Just keep… we’re a very proud nation,” the First Lady said.