RismadarVoice Reporters, June 28, 2026
An All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Abayomi Nurain Mumuni, has defended First Lady Oluremi Tinubu’s call for Nigerians to embrace small-scale businesses, saying her remarks were misunderstood and intended to promote economic self-reliance.
Mumuni said the First Lady’s advice encouraging women and low-income earners to engage in businesses such as selling akara and roasted corn was aimed at helping families generate income through ventures that require little start-up capital.
He explained that many Nigerians living below the poverty line need only modest financial support to establish sustainable businesses, noting that capital of between ₦50,000 and ₦100,000 could be enough for some entrepreneurs to begin earning a livelihood.
Responding to criticism that followed the First Lady’s remarks, Mumuni said her comments should not be interpreted as insensitive or dismissive of the country’s economic challenges, but as practical suggestions for promoting self-sufficiency.
He also highlighted several Federal Government intervention programmes, including the Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme, the Presidential Palliative Loan Programme, Bank of Industry funding initiatives and support provided through the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), saying they demonstrate the government’s commitment to supporting businesses of different sizes.
Mumuni urged Nigerians to focus on constructive and solution-driven discussions rather than controversies, stressing that greater attention should be given to addressing insecurity, poverty and hunger, which he described as the country’s most pressing challenges.
