Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno has disclosed that he once earned not less than ₦10 million monthly from selling akara and bread before venturing into politics. He made the revelation during the state's monthly covenant prayer service, where he detailed his entrepreneurial journey and how he started small before building his businesses.
From Akara Burger to Coffee Shop
Governor Eno said he began by selling akara and bread from a shop he still owns, later packaging the combination as what he called an “Akara Burger”. He explained: “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.”
According to him, the business attracted workers and residents in the area, particularly those heading to work at ExxonMobil in the mornings. “People going to Exxon Mobil will buy it in the morning, take coffee. We started coffee shop and then they will take it,” he added.
Monthly Earnings and Expansion
The governor said the business eventually generated at least ₦10 million every month. “Every month, that Akara business used to give me nothing less than ₦10 million in a month. Not less than that,” he stated.
Eno's account highlights a part of his life before he became a politician, when he was involved in entrepreneurship and hospitality. His claim comes months after First Lady Oluremi Tinubu's comments on akara businesses triggered debate over small businesses and livelihoods in Nigeria.
Context and Reaction
In June, at a Renewed Hope Initiative meeting with wives of state governors in Abuja, the First Lady encouraged Nigerians to consider small businesses such as akara and kuli-kuli as ways of improving their livelihoods. The comments drew mixed reactions, with some critics suggesting the advice was disconnected from economic realities.
She later clarified that the empowerment programme was not limited to akara sellers, saying it also covered people involved in businesses such as tomato selling, roasted plantain, pepper and vegetable trading. Eno's latest disclosure adds a personal dimension to the conversation, with the governor saying he himself once built a business around akara and bread before eventually moving into politics.
The governor, elected in 2023, had already established himself as an entrepreneur before his political career. His account of the akara business offers another glimpse into the commercial activities he was involved in before becoming governor of Akwa Ibom State.
