The Federal Government says it has secured about N25 billion to revive the long-abandoned headquarters complex of the National Library of Nigeria in Abuja.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this, saying the funding would come from a combination of donations received by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu during her birthday celebration and resources from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
The move is aimed at completing and restoring the National Library headquarters, which has remained largely abandoned for years despite its importance to Nigeria’s education and knowledge infrastructure.
Dr Alausa said the government was determined to ensure that the project, which has faced prolonged delays, was brought back to life through a coordinated funding arrangement.
The minister explained that approximately N25 billion had been pooled from the funds generated through gifts presented to the First Lady during her birthday celebration, alongside contributions from TETFund.
The development is expected to provide a major boost to Nigeria’s library and educational infrastructure, particularly by giving students, researchers, academics and other members of the public access to a modern national repository of knowledge.
The National Library of Nigeria serves as the country’s apex library institution and is responsible for preserving and providing access to the nation’s documentary heritage.
The Abuja headquarters project has, however, remained incomplete for years, becoming one of the most prominent symbols of abandoned public infrastructure in the capital.
The Federal Government’s latest intervention is therefore being viewed as a significant step towards completing a project that has long been expected to play a central role in Nigeria’s education and research ecosystem.
The government says the renewed funding will help move the project towards completion and ensure that the facility fulfils its intended purpose as a world-class centre for learning, research and preservation of Nigeria’s intellectual heritage.
