National Library: Alausa hails Tinubu, wife over project revival

The Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his intervention in the revival of the National Library of Nigeria Headquarters Complex in Abuja.

He also praised the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for contributing to efforts to finance the completion of the 18-year-old project.

The commendation followed the Federal Executive Council’s approval of the augmentation of the existing contract for the completion and comprehensive furnishing of the long-abandoned National Library project.

Alausa said the First Lady’s decision to channel gifts received during her birthday celebration towards the project generated about N25 billion.

The minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Mr Ikharo Attah, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

According to the statement, Alausa said the President’s intervention, alongside funds mobilised from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund and other sources, had provided the financial backing needed to restart work on the project.

Construction of the National Library Headquarters commenced on April 29, 2006, with an initial completion period of two years. However, the project was stalled in October 2008 and remained abandoned through successive administrations.

Alausa said Tinubu, upon assuming office, directed the Ministry of Education to mobilise resources for the completion of the project, including funding support from TETFund.

“President Bola Tinubu, when he came in, mandated that we look for funds, real funds, that we use in completing this National Library. He directed that we source funds from Tertiary Education Trust Fund, and we’ve cobbled some funds together,” he said.

The minister said the First Lady’s intervention further strengthened efforts to finance the project.

He said, “The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, also directed that the gifts she received during her birthday celebration be channelled towards the completion of the National Library, and we were able to generate about N25 billion from that initiative.”

Alausa explained that funds mobilised from various sources had enabled the Federal Government to secure the FEC approval required to proceed with the project.

“Combined with the money we’ve sourced from TETFund, the Council today approved the augmentation of the existing contract for the completion of the construction of the National Library of Nigeria Headquarters Building Complex in Abuja,” he said.

The minister expressed optimism that full construction activities would resume in the coming months, describing the development as a major step towards completing critical education infrastructure in the country.

He said the completion of the National Library would go beyond providing a physical structure, noting that the facility was conceived as a national centre for knowledge, learning, research, scholarship and information access, as well as the preservation of Nigeria’s intellectual heritage.

Alausa said the revival of the project demonstrated the Federal Government’s commitment to addressing abandoned education infrastructure and ensuring that critical national institutions were completed and put to productive use.

He appreciated President Tinubu for providing what he described as the political will and direction needed to revive the project, while also acknowledging the First Lady’s financial contribution and other interventions towards its completion.

“Abandoned National Library for 18 years, President Bola Tinubu has now been able to mobilise funds, cobbled funds together, for work to go back, to start again at the National Library. We thank you, Mr. President,” the minister said.

He expressed confidence that the renewed momentum would lead to the completion and furnishing of the National Library Headquarters, transforming the structure into a modern national knowledge centre for present and future generations.

Alausa added that the development was another indication that Nigeria’s education sector was on a “glorious path” under the Tinubu administration, with renewed attention to infrastructure, access to knowledge and the strengthening of institutions critical to national development.