Nigeria's First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu, has encouraged low-income Nigerians to embrace small businesses, saying ventures such as selling akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli require little capital to get started.

She made the remarks while speaking about the Federal Government's efforts to support vulnerable Nigerians through grants aimed at promoting small-scale businesses and economic empowerment.

According to the First Lady, beneficiaries of the initiative received grants rather than loans to help them establish or expand their businesses without the burden of repayment.

"To start an akara business doesn't take a lot of money. To start roasting corn or selling 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," she said.

Remi Tinubu also disclosed that more than ₦3 billion has been spent on programmes designed to empower disadvantaged Nigerians and improve their means of livelihood.

Her comments have since generated widespread reactions online. While some Nigerians welcomed the emphasis on entrepreneurship and support for small businesses, others argued that rising inflation and the high cost of living have made it increasingly difficult to start even small-scale ventures.

The First Lady has continued to advocate for programmes focused on women, youths and vulnerable groups, maintaining that empowering small business owners remains one of the key ways to reduce poverty and improve household incomes.