First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has come under fire on social media after encouraging Nigerians to consider small-scale ventures such as selling akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli, saying the businesses require little capital to begin.

Tinubu made the remarks while speaking with correspondents following the second-quarter meeting of the Renewed Hope Initiative with wives of state governors at the State House in Abuja on Wednesday.

A video of her comments, shared by News Channel 247 on Friday, quickly generated widespread reactions online.

Speaking on the activities of the Renewed Hope Initiative, the First Lady said the programme had been providing grants, rather than loans, to vulnerable Nigerians to help them start businesses and improve their livelihoods.

“We’re trying to give hope, and to start Akara business doesn’t take a lot of money. To start roasting corn, or somebody even said kuli kuli doesn’t take much. We didn’t give them a loan; we gave it to them as a grant.

“So we’ve encouraged Nigerians as best as we could. What is within our hands, I have given, and I keep giving,” she said.

Tinubu also highlighted the initiative’s interventions in healthcare, education, agriculture and social investment, noting that she had personally supported several causes with substantial donations.

“I remember giving for TB. When I heard there were so many TB cases, I gave N2 billion. To breast cancer, I gave a billion. For food malnutrition, I gave half a billion.

“So those are the things we’ve been doing and making sure we can make sure that whatever this government is trying to do, it will see the light of day,” she stated.

According to the First Lady, the initiative has also provided scholarships, ICT training opportunities and support for agricultural and social investment programmes.

She urged Nigerians to remain hopeful despite the prevailing economic difficulties.

“The narrative has really changed, has changed to challenge the average man, whereas the average man is supposed to have hope. So I like the idea that Mr President say this is the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“We have to renew our hope, and that’s how we renew our hope, you know, and that’s what I have to tell Nigerians,” she said.

However, her comments on small-scale businesses triggered swift criticism, with many social media users accusing her of downplaying the severity of the country’s economic challenges.

An X user, @ADCVanguard_, said the video demonstrated “exactly how disconnected Nigeria’s ruling class has become from the reality of ordinary citizens.”

Another user, @ireteeh, compared the initiative’s interventions with private-sector efforts, writing: “The First Lady is empowering people with akara, corn, and kuli-kuli, while an ordinary citizen with limited resources is equipping people to build thriving careers in cybersecurity.”

A user identified as Nefertiti (@firstladyship) also criticised the remarks, saying, “Nigerians are in big trouble. There is fire on the mountain but the people are tired of running.”

Despite the backlash, some Nigerians defended the First Lady, arguing that there was nothing wrong with encouraging people to engage in small businesses.

One X user, @Akikanju1568901, described akara as “one of the most lucrative businesses in Nigeria,” noting that the trade has enabled many families to train their children in universities and acquire houses and cars.

Another user, @PemiOladapo, wrote: “There’s dignity in labour… these are our local snacks! People should start it and scale it!”

Meanwhile, another commentator, @TossynBankz_, argued that the issue was not the nature of the businesses but the broader economic context.

“Nobody is mocking akara, roasted corn, or kuli-kuli. Those are honest businesses. The problem is that Nigerians are asking for a better economy, more jobs, and lower prices. Telling people to start selling akara in this situation just feels like the government doesn’t understand what people are going through,” the user wrote.

The Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, has set aside its earlier judgment that compelled the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party.

The latest ruling effectively reverses the legal basis upon which the NDC had been listed by INEC, throwing the party’s status into uncertainty and preventing it from operating as a recognised political party for now.

Earlier this year, the NDC secured a Federal High Court judgement in Lokoja, Kogi State in Suit No. FHC/LKJ/CS/49/2025 directing INEC to register it, a development that sparked controversy among other political associations. The party’s inclusion on the electoral commission’s list was based solely on that court order.

However, the registration was challenged by rival political groups, particularly the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), which argued that the NDC failed to comply with statutory requirements for political party registration.

The challengers alleged that the party did not properly complete the application process through INEC’s designated portal and failed to submit essential documents, including its manifesto and other required materials.

Following the fresh legal challenge, the Federal High Court in Lokoja revisited the matter and vacated its previous judgment, agreeing that the earlier order compelling INEC to register the NDC should no longer stand.

The court’s decision means that the NDC is currently not an officially registered political party. As a result, the party cannot sponsor or field candidates in any election until it obtains formal recognition from INEC.

The judgment also effectively returns the party to the starting point of the registration process. To regain recognition, the NDC will either have to meet all of INEC’s registration requirements and apply afresh or challenge the latest judgment at the Court of Appeal.

For INEC, the ruling means the electoral commission is no longer under any legal obligation to register the NDC.

The court agreed with the commission’s position that there were legal issues surrounding the earlier order that compelled the registration, which may have involved procedural errors, timing, or failure to satisfy statutory conditions.

In practical terms, the court’s decision keeps the NDC off the list of officially recognised political parties unless it successfully overturns the ruling on appeal or completes the registration process in accordance with INEC’s guidelines.

The latest judgment marks a significant twist in the legal battle over the party’s registration and could have implications for its political ambitions ahead of future elections.

..Says Enugu-Guangzhou cargo flights to commence in a few months

…Mbah: Concession Opens New Economic Opportunities to S’East

…Aero Alliance: We’ll transform AIIA into Africa’s leading aviation hub

The Federal Government has officially handed over the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA), Enugu, to the concessionaires, Aero Alliance Limited, under a public-private partnership arrangement.

Following the execution of the handover certificates, assets register, and other relevant documentation, Aero Alliance will now undertake the financing, rehabilitation, expansion, operation, and management of the airport, ensuring that it meets and sustains internationally recognised standards of safety, efficiency, and passenger experience.

This was even as Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State described the successful concession of the airport as a major breakthrough and opener of new economic opportunities for the South East, while Aero Alliance vowed to transform AIIA into one of Africa’s leading regional aviation, logistics, and commercial hubs.

Speaking during the handover ceremony at the international terminal of AIIA, Enugu, on Thursday, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, extolled President Bola Tinubu’s and Mbah’s roles in the realisation of the long-stalled concession plan.

“For 20 years, various governments have tried to concession some of our airports because of the belief that the private sector would run them more professionally and in a more commercially driven way.

“During the time of the previous administration when almost all the airports were advertised for concession, all the bidders avoided Enugu and Port Harcourt airports. There was not one bidder for Enugu and Port Harcourt. Everybody was rushing Lagos, Kano, and Abuja because many people want food that is ready.

“However, under the able leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and under the visionary leadership of people like Dr. Peter Mbah, the reverse is the case.

“Guess what? We have no bidder presently for Lagos, Abuja, and Kano. But Enugu and Port Harcourt are gone.

“Dr. Mbah went straight to Mr. President a few weeks after his inauguration and said, ‘This is my plan for the airport.’ The President minuted and said that we should give him all the assistance he needs to turn Enugu into an aviation and investment hub.

“Mbah started with Enugu Air, and now he has brought in capital, brought in investors for the airport.

“So, I just want to say that Dr. Peter Mbah came with a plan for Enugu. He did not come and begin to assess the situation. He is a governor who came into office with a plan. And today, we are glad that we have found in him the perfect partnership we need between the federal and the state governments,” Keyamo said.

On what is expected of Aero Alliance, he said, “We expect Aero Alliance Limited to discharge its responsibilities with the highest standards of professionalism, transparency, operational excellence, and commitment to safety.”

He also allayed fears over job losses, noting that the terms of agreement reached by Aero Alliance were such that they would create new jobs rather than trigger job losses.

In his remark, the Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Dr. Jobson Ewalefor, thanked President Tinubu for making the concession happen, describing it as historic and special for Nigeria.

He commended Mbah’s commitment to building infrastructure, extolling his international credibility and tenacity.

“That we are here today is because of the reputation of the governor. His reputation attracted the capital. Governor Peter Mbah is a miraculous governor. He has been coming to Abuja all the time for this. You can see when someone is prepared. You can see that he is very strategic and methodical in what he is doing.

“The Enugu Air and an agreement being signed from Guangzhou to Enugu are enough traffic to create viability,” Ewelefoh noted.

Meanwhile, Governor Mbah lauded the Tinubu Administration for the successful concession, saying that it marked the beginning of a new chapter in the journey to unlock the immense economic potential of the South East region.

“It opens a new chapter of economic possibilities because businesses across our region have for long grappled with logistics constraints that increased costs, lengthened delivery timelines, and limited competitiveness.

“We hope that future generations will look back to this day as the moment when Akanu Ibiam International Airport began its transformation into a truly world-class gateway serving the South East, connecting Nigeria to the world and opening new pathways to prosperity for millions of our people.

“So, today is a dream come true as we herald the promise of a South East that will be more connected, more competitive, more prosperous, and more visible on the global stage,” he emphasised.

While appreciating the Aero Alliance consortium for believing in the promise and potential of the Enugu airport, he urged undecided investors to come and invest in Enugu State.

The Managing Director of Aero Alliance, Saleem Hussain, assured that the consortium would put its over three decades’ experience in the aviation sector to work, focusing on connectivity, cargo and logistics, passenger experience, commercial development, and technology and operational excellence to transform AIIA into one of Africa’s leading aviation hubs.

The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, represented by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mr. Henry Agbebire; Commissioner for Transport, Enugu State, Dr. Obi Ozor; and the Regional General Manager, FAAN, Hillary Umunna, all committed to making the concession work for the socioeconomic benefits of the region and the nation as a whole.