After 18 years in limbo, National Library finally gets new lease of life

For nearly two decades, the National Library of Nigeria stood unfinished in Abuja, a symbol of abandoned public infrastructure. The project, conceived in 2006, was supposed to be completed within two years, but work ceased in 2008. Various administrations attempted to revive the project, but it remained abandoned. However, recent efforts have brought the project back to life.

At the heart of the renewed effort is the Federal Ministry of Education, led by Dr. Tunji Alausa, who has been relentless in his pursuit of completing and furnishing the project. A significant component of the funding comes from gifts donated to the First Lady, totaling about N25bn, which were directed towards the project by the First Lady herself.

This fresh push has put the project in a new stage, with the Federal Executive Council approving the augmentation of the existing contract for its completion and furnishing. The National Library, which predates the Abuja headquarters by decades, is more than just an administrative building. It is intended to be the physical center of the National Library of Nigeria, serving as one of the country's principal custodians of documentary memory.