President Bola Tinubu has instructed the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to take over the funding and completion of the long-abandoned National Library of Nigeria headquarters in Abuja.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed this directive on Wednesday, confirming that TETFund has already allocated a portion of its budget to resume construction on the site.
The National Library project, initiated in 2006 and originally scheduled for completion in 2008, has faced multiple delays. Work stopped entirely in 2012, leaving the structure abandoned for nearly two decades. A previous attempt by the Muhammadu Buhari administration to transfer the project to TETFund was unsuccessful. However, Alausa assured that construction will recommence by June 2025.
Speaking during a visit to the site, Alausa reaffirmed President Tinubu’s commitment to completing the project, which has long been regarded as a national embarrassment.
“We had three national monuments planned for the Federal Capital Territory: the National Mosque, the National Ecumenical Centre, and the National Library. While the mosque and ecumenical centre were completed decades ago, the National Library remains unfinished,” he stated.
Due to inflation, the cost of completing the library has risen significantly from the initial ₦50 billion estimate to several hundred billion naira.
To ensure steady progress, Alausa outlined a phased approach to the project’s completion, beginning with:
- Basement Levels 1 & 2
- Ground Floor
- First and Second Floors
- Perimeter and Aesthetic Works
He emphasized that the necessary funds have been secured and that contractors and consultants have been given a deadline to return to the site before June 2025.
Prof. Chinwe Veronica Anunobi, National Librarian and CEO of the National Library of Nigeria, expressed optimism about the renewed efforts.
“We will push the ministry, the consultants, and the contractors to ensure the minister’s timelines are met,” she said.
With this renewed commitment and secured funding, the long-delayed completion of Nigeria’s National Library appears to be finally within reach.
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