Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has revealed that his akara and bread business once generated as much as ₦10 million monthly before he ventured into politics.
Eno made the disclosure during the state’s monthly covenant prayer service on Tuesday, with his remarks subsequently gaining attention on social media.
The governor said his entrepreneurial journey began with the sale of akara and bread, which he creatively branded as “Akara Burger.”
“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,” he said.
According to Eno, the business attracted regular customers, particularly workers travelling to ExxonMobil in the mornings.
He said many of them would stop to buy akara and bread and take coffee before heading to work.
“People going to Exxon Mobil will buy it in the morning, take coffee. We started coffee shop and then they will take it.
“Every month, that Akara business used to give me nothing less than ₦10 million in a month,” Eno said.
The governor said the experience taught him important lessons about entrepreneurship and demonstrated how businesses could grow from humble beginnings.
His revelation has also renewed discussions about small-scale businesses, following comments by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu encouraging Nigerians to consider ventures such as akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli.
Speaking after a Renewed Hope Initiative meeting with wives of state governors in Abuja in June, the First Lady said starting an akara business required relatively little capital.
“We’re trying to give hope, and to start Akara business doesn’t take a lot of money,” she said.
Her comments attracted criticism on social media, with some Nigerians accusing her of being disconnected from the economic difficulties facing citizens.
She later clarified that the empowerment programme was not limited to akara sellers, but also covered tomato sellers, roasted plantain vendors, pepper traders and vegetable sellers.
The First Lady also announced a ₦100 million intervention for 2,000 petty traders in Jigawa State, with each beneficiary receiving ₦50,000 to recapitalise their businesses.
The akara conversation received another boost when President Bola Tinubu jokingly referred to his wife as “Iya Alakara” during a Presidential Press Corps Dinner.
Governor Eno’s disclosure has now added a personal dimension to the debate, highlighting his claim that a modest akara and bread business once generated millions of naira in monthly income.
His story has further fuelled discussions about entrepreneurship, economic empowerment and the potential of small businesses to provide sustainable livelihoods.
