Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno has disclosed that his former street-food enterprise once generated at least ₦10 million per month prior to his entry into politics, adding fresh momentum to the ongoing national dialogue surrounding small-scale entrepreneurship.
Speaking during the state’s monthly covenant prayer service on Tuesday, with video recordings of his remarks gaining widespread traction online by Wednesday, the governor recounted how he built the venture by commercialising the popular local staple, akara (fried bean cakes), alongside bread and coffee. Target customers included morning commuters heading to ExxonMobil facilities.
“We still have that shop there. I started selling Akara and bread. Back then, I was doing Akara Burger. We open the bread and put it inside for you,” Governor Eno stated, describing how workers would pair the meal with hot coffee. “Every month, that Akara business used to give me nothing less than ₦10 million in a month.” He noted that the hands-on experience offered invaluable lessons on starting small and scaling a business sustainably.
The governor’s revelations come amid sustained public conversation sparked by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, who faced online backlash in June after urging citizens to adopt low-capital ventures such as selling akara, kuli-kuli (groundnut cake), or roasted corn to navigate current economic pressures.
Following a Renewed Hope Initiative meeting in Abuja, the First Lady highlighted that such micro-enterprises require minimal initial funding, explaining: “We didn’t give them a loan; we gave it to them as a grant.”
Mrs Tinubu clarified that the initiative targeted a broad spectrum of informal traders, including vendors selling tomatoes, peppers, vegetables, and roasted plantains. She subsequently announced a ₦100 million grant for 2,000 petty traders in Jigawa State, providing ₦50,000 per beneficiary to recapitalise their businesses.
The exchange even prompted a light-hearted remark from President Bola Tinubu, who playfully referred to his wife as “Iya Alakara” (mother of bean-cake sellers) during a Presidential Press Corps dinner.