How I Made N10m Monthly From Akara Business — Akwa Ibom Governor

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has revealed that he once made not less than N10 million monthly from selling akara and bread before entering politics.

Eno made the disclosure during the state’s monthly covenant prayer service, where he reflected on his entrepreneurial journey and how a small food business eventually expanded into a coffee shop.

The governor said he started by selling akara and bread, combining both products and marketing them as an “Akara Burger.” He explained that customers could buy bread filled with freshly prepared akara as a convenient breakfast.

According to Eno, workers heading to ExxonMobil were among the regular customers who patronised the business in the mornings. He said the venture later developed into a coffee shop, where customers could also have coffee with their meals.

Eno said the business generated not less than N10 million every month.

The governor’s account has drawn attention to the potential of small-scale businesses to generate substantial income when properly organised and targeted at reliable customers.

His disclosure also comes against the background of recent discussions about petty trading and entrepreneurship as possible ways of improving household income amid economic difficulties.

First Lady Oluremi Tinubu had earlier encouraged Nigerians with limited capital to consider businesses such as akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli. She said some ventures could be established with relatively small amounts of money and supported through grants.

The initiative generated mixed reactions, with some Nigerians questioning whether petty trading could provide sufficient income amid rising living costs. The First Lady later clarified that the empowerment programme covered several categories of petty traders, including tomato, pepper, vegetable and roasted plantain sellers.

Her intervention included a N100 million programme for 2,000 petty traders in Jigawa State, with each beneficiary receiving N50,000 to recapitalise their businesses.

Eno’s revelation has added a personal dimension to the debate, as the governor used his experience to illustrate how entrepreneurship can begin with a modest operation and develop into a larger commercial venture.

However, he did not provide detailed figures showing whether the N10 million represented monthly turnover, profit, or earnings after operating expenses.

The claim has consequently generated questions from some commentators, who have called for clarification of the figure and the period when the business operated.

Despite the debate, Eno maintained that his experience demonstrates the importance of starting small, identifying customers and building a business gradually before pursuing other career opportunities.