Nigeria’s first lady, Senator Remi Tinubu, has defended her support programme for petty traders, stating that its beneficiaries extend far beyond akara sellers to include tomato vendors, bole sellers, maize sellers, vegetable traders and many others across the informal sector.
The first lady also dismissed criticism surrounding the initiative, insisting that the programme remains focused on improving the livelihoods of small-scale entrepreneurs, despite what she described as “wrong reports.”
Speaking on the intervention, the first lady said the initiative was deliberately designed to reach a wide range of petty traders whose businesses provide daily income for themselves and their families.
She stressed that the programme is not limited to any single group of traders, maintaining that thousands of beneficiaries from different categories of small businesses have received support under the scheme.
Remi Tinubu further expressed confidence that those who have benefited from the intervention recognise its impact, saying their appreciation outweighs negative narratives surrounding the programme.
According to her, misleading reports will not deter the continued implementation of the initiative, as its primary objective remains to support hardworking Nigerians operating at the grassroots level.
“It is not only akara sellers. We are also supporting tomato sellers, bole, maize sellers, vegetable sellers, and many other petty traders. I know the beneficiaries appreciate it, and we are not intimidated by the wrong reports,” the First Lady said.
Her comments come as public discussions continue about programmes targeted at micro- and small-scale traders, particularly those operating in local markets and neighbourhood communities.
The first lady insisted that the appreciation expressed by the beneficiaries demonstrates that the intervention is achieving its intended purpose, despite public scrutiny.
