Nigeria might have accidentally created a new tradition.
Every year, we seem to have one business idea that becomes the solution to all our problems.
Last year, it was farming.
Everywhere you turned, the message was clear: agriculture was the future. Farming was presented as the golden opportunity, the escape route, and the next big thing Nigerians needed to embrace.
The farm became the new “get rich” conversation.
Now, the calendar has changed, and apparently so has the business direction.
This year’s answer?
Akara.
Yes, akara.
The same akara that has been feeding Nigerians for generations has officially entered the entrepreneurship conversation.
Following comments from the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, encouraging Nigerians to consider small-scale businesses like akara, roasted corn and kulikuli, the internet did what it does best: Nigerians opened the debate room.
Some people immediately asked, “What is wrong with akara?”
And honestly, that is a fair question.
Because somewhere along the line, we started acting like some businesses are beneath us.
The woman frying akara by 6am is not just standing by the roadside. She is managing a business.
She knows her customers.
She understands demand.
She knows when sales are high and when the market is slow.
That is business strategy.
The roasted corn seller understands location better than some companies with expensive marketing teams.
The person selling snacks understands customer retention.
Nigerians have always been entrepreneurs. We just sometimes don’t call it that.
But then comes the other side of the conversation.
Because while akara is a respected hustle, starting any business in today’s Nigeria is not exactly as simple as it sounds.
The phrase “start small” sounds encouraging until you actually try to start.
Beans costs money.
Oil costs money.
Transport costs money.
Fuel costs money.
At this point, even the person trying to start an akara business needs a business plan, budget forecast and probably a small prayer.
The debate is not really about akara.
It is about whether Nigerians are being encouraged to build wealth or simply being reminded of new ways to survive.
Because there is a difference.
A small business should not just be a way to make it through another week. It should be a stepping stone to something bigger.
The akara seller should be able to grow into a food brand.
The roadside corn seller should have the chance to expand.
The young Nigerian starting with a small hustle should be able to dream beyond survival.
But one thing remains undeniable: Nigerians are some of the most creative people when it comes to making something out of almost nothing.
Give someone an opportunity and they will create a business.
Give someone a challenge and they will find a way around it.
So maybe next year, the advice will change again.
Maybe it will be fish farming.
Maybe fashion.
Maybe something completely unexpected.
But for now, welcome to Nigeria’s newest business era:
The Akara Economy.
Support your local CEO with a frying spoon.