Akwa Ibom Gov Umo Eno Reveals How His Akara Business Made N10m Monthly

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has revealed that his akara and bread business once generated not less than N10 million monthly before he ventured into politics.

Eno made the disclosure during the state’s monthly covenant prayer service, where he reflected on his entrepreneurial journey and the businesses he operated before entering public office. His comments have since attracted attention, particularly amid an ongoing national conversation about the potential of small businesses to provide livelihoods.

The governor said he started the venture by selling akara and bread from a shop that he said he still owns. He explained that he developed a combination he called “Akara Burger”, in which akara was placed inside sliced bread for customers.

According to Eno, the location helped the business attract regular morning customers, including people heading to work at ExxonMobil. He said the operation later expanded to include a coffee shop, allowing customers to buy the akara-and-bread combination alongside coffee.

“We started selling akara and bread. Back then, I was doing Akara Burger. We open the bread and put it inside for you,” Eno said.

“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.”

The governor presented the experience as part of his entrepreneurial background and an example of how a relatively simple food business could be developed by identifying a steady customer base and adding complementary products.

However, Eno did not specify the period when the business was generating the stated amount, nor did he clarify whether the N10 million referred to gross sales, total business income or net profit. That distinction is important because the amount generated by a business is not necessarily the same as the profit retained by its owner.

The disclosure has also renewed interest in recent discussions about akara and other petty businesses as possible sources of income for Nigerians. First Lady Oluremi Tinubu had earlier encouraged people to consider businesses such as akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli, saying some could be started with relatively modest capital. Her comments generated debate over the ability of petty trading to cushion the effects of the country's economic difficulties.

Eno's account adds a personal dimension to that debate because he was speaking from his own claimed experience rather than simply advocating the business as a theoretical source of livelihood.

At the same time, the N10 million figure has prompted questions from some commentators about the scale and economics of the operation. Social critic Emmanuel Udombon argued that the governor should clarify whether the amount represented turnover or profit and how the figure was achieved. His comments remain a challenge to the governor's account rather than independent proof that the figure was inaccurate.

For now, the governor's statement establishes what he said about his former business: that the akara and bread operation, which later included a coffee shop, generated at least N10 million monthly at the time he was running it. The available account does not, however, provide enough financial detail to independently determine the business's profit margin or total turnover.

The story highlights the importance of entrepreneurship and customer-focused business models, while also showing why financial claims about business earnings should be understood in their proper context.