Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has defended her call for low-income Nigerians to embrace small-scale trades such as frying akara, roasting corn and producing kuli-kuli, insisting that such ventures remain a realistic path to survival and growth for many families.

Her earlier remarks, made during an interaction with journalists in Abuja, drew sharp criticism from sections of the public who argued that encouraging traditional petty trading was out of touch with a world increasingly driven by technology and innovation. Commentators on social and mainstream media accused the First Lady of lowering the bar of aspiration for young Nigerians.

Responding to the backlash at an official engagement in Jigawa State, Tinubu rejected the notion that micro-businesses are insignificant or demeaning. She stressed that for millions of Nigerians, daily income from roadside stalls and market tables is the difference between hunger and stability.

She disclosed that the federal government has already disbursed about N100 million in grants to support such traders, with roughly 2,000 beneficiaries receiving N50,000 each to boost their capital. According to her, the scheme targets a wide range of small vendors, including sellers of tomatoes, pepper, vegetables, roasted plantain and other staple foods that sustain local economies.

Tinubu maintained that those directly benefiting from the programme understand its value, even if critics do not. She said the administration would not be deterred by negative commentary or what she described as misrepresentation of her earlier comments, adding that the focus remains on making small trades sustainable through modest but direct financial support.

The First Lady also urged Nigerian youths to broaden their view of opportunity beyond white-collar jobs and oil-driven wealth. She described Nigeria as a country rich in untapped resources and insisted that with creativity and determination, young people can build livelihoods from the assets already around them.

While the debate over her remarks continues, Tinubu’s defence underscores a larger national conversation about dignity in labour, the role of micro-enterprises in poverty reduction and how best to balance aspirations for a tech-driven future with the immediate realities of life at the grassroots.