Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu has defended her empowerment initiative, clarifying that it is not limited to akara sellers but is designed to support a wide range of petty traders across the country.
Responding to public discussions surrounding the programme, the First Lady said the initiative aims to improve the livelihoods of small-scale business owners by providing assistance to help grow their businesses.
According to her, beneficiaries include tomato sellers, bole vendors, maize sellers, vegetable sellers, akara sellers, and many other petty traders who rely on daily trading for income.
Speaking on the initiative, she said:
“It is not only akara sellers. We are also supporting tomato sellers, bole, maize sellers, vegetable sellers, and many other petty traders.”
She explained that the programme was deliberately structured to reach different categories of small business owners across Nigeria.
Addressing criticism of the initiative, she added:
“I know the beneficiaries appreciate it, and we’re not intimidated by the wrong reports.”
The First Lady maintained that the empowerment programme would continue despite the criticism, expressing confidence that those benefiting from it understand its impact.
Her remarks have generated mixed reactions on social media. While some Nigerians welcomed the clarification and praised the initiative, others argued that broader economic policies and interventions are needed to provide lasting support for small businesses.
Watch the video below.
Reactions:
It’s good to support petty traders, but many Nigerians believe long-term economic reforms are more important than one-off empowerment programmes.
Others say every form of assistance matters, especially for small business owners struggling with rising costs.
Some users questioned the transparency and reach of the programme, calling for more details on how beneficiaries are selected.
Published by Ejoh Caleb
