Nigeria’s First Lady Remi Tinubu has responded to criticism surrounding her earlier remarks about “akara sellers,” clarifying that her comments were meant to reflect a broader commitment to supporting small-scale traders.
Addressing the backlash, she explained that the initiative goes beyond a single group, noting that various categories of petty traders are included in the empowerment programme.
“We’ve donated ₦100 million to help petty traders, and I know people have been talking that I said akara, but it’s not only akara,” she said. “We also have boli sellers, tomato sellers, vegetable sellers and pepper sellers too. We’ll continue to empower them.”
Her response comes after social media users debated the tone of her earlier statement, with some interpreting it as limiting or dismissive.
The First Lady emphasized that the intervention is designed to support grassroots entrepreneurs and improve livelihoods across different segments of the informal economy.
The development has continued to generate mixed reactions, with some praising the financial support initiative, while others maintain their criticism of the initial remarks.
