FG vows National Library project completion in 24 months

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has assured Nigerians that the Federal Government will ensure the completion of the long-abandoned National Library of Nigeria headquarters project in Abuja, warning contractors against delays and promising prompt payment to sustain construction work.

Alausa gave the assurance during a familiarisation visit to the project site on Thursday ahead of the formal kick-off of the return to site by the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, scheduled for November 19, 2026.

The minister said the “Federal Government was committed to ensuring that the project was completed within the agreed timeframe,” adding that mechanisms had been put in place to prevent delays arising from funding and administrative bottlenecks.

He disclosed that contractors had fully mobilised to the site and commenced construction activities, expressing confidence that the project would be completed within the stipulated 24-month timeline.

“Our own commitment at the Federal Ministry of Education is that work will not stop for one day until we get to the point where we commission this building,” he said.

Alausa warned contractors and consultants against allowing payment processing and administrative challenges to disrupt construction, urging them to report any difficulties directly to him.

“We have put processes in place on how the contractor will request additional payment. I am going to speak publicly to all contractors and consultants today. If there are delays in processing, I need to know. I want to be bothered because this is a commitment to the Nigerian people,” he stated.

He attributed the renewed efforts to complete the project to the commitment of President Bola Tinubu, saying the President had directed the mobilisation of funds and the return of contractors to the site.

The minister said the President recognised education as a critical driver of national development and had provided the necessary support to the Ministry of Education to advance the sector.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu knows exactly what this country needs. He knows that education is the bedrock of any egalitarian society. If any society must develop, it must educate its citizens. That is why this President has placed so much emphasis on education and given us all the support we need,” he said.

He also commended the First Lady for her sustained advocacy and personal commitment to the completion of the National Library, noting that her intervention had helped secure additional funding for the project.

According to him, the First Lady’s vision goes beyond establishing a national repository of knowledge to creating an inclusive cultural and educational centre accessible to all Nigerians.

Alausa said the facility would incorporate specialised spaces for children and persons with disabilities, including people with visual and hearing impairments.

He added that the completed library would serve as a national cultural and educational centre, hosting international conferences, attracting tourists and providing access to Nigeria’s historical archives and cultural heritage.

The minister recalled that the project, which commenced in 2006 with an initial completion period of two years, was substantially completed in 2008 before construction activities were halted, leaving the facility unfinished for nearly two decades.

He expressed concern that the prolonged abandonment of the project reflected misplaced priorities, considering the importance of the National Library to Nigeria’s educational, cultural and archival development.

Alausa, however, commended Reynolds Construction Company for maintaining the site, providing security and preventing encroachment throughout the period of inactivity.

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He said the company’s efforts to preserve the existing infrastructure had made it possible to resume construction without significant setbacks.

Earlier, the Managing Director of RCC, Nader Yusuf, thanked the minister for visiting the site and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to delivering the project.

Yusuf said the company would comply with the minister’s directives and complete the construction within 18 months.

He added that RCC had maintained adequate security at the facility and prevented encroachment throughout the period of inactivity.

The minister also acknowledged the contributions of the Acting Permanent Secretary, Olatunji David; the Chief Executive Officer of the National Library of Nigeria; the ministry’s management team; consultants and other stakeholders towards the resumption of work.

He urged the contractors handling the construction, furnishing and equipment components to maintain high standards and work collaboratively to ensure the timely delivery of the facility.

The National Library of Nigeria headquarters project in Abuja was conceived in 1981, while its construction commenced on April 29, 2006, under the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The project was initially awarded to RCC at the cost of N8.59bn, with a completion period of about 22 months. However, funding challenges, contract variations, and disagreements over the cost of completing the facility contributed to delays.

A 2010 second-quarter budget implementation report by the Budget Office of the Federation showed that the contract sum had been reviewed from N8.59bn to N17.01bn following requests for variations arising from rising costs.

Despite successive attempts to revive the project, construction stalled, leaving the headquarters unfinished for about 18 years.

In March 2025, the Federal Government announced plans to adopt a phased approach to completing the facility, with work expected to cover the basement levels, ground floor, first and second floors, as well as external works.

The latest intervention followed the Federal Executive Council’s approval in August 2026 of N118.309bn for the augmentation of the existing construction contract.

The government also approved additional funding for furnishing the facility, with reports putting the amount at about N37bn, bringing the total funding requirement to approximately N155bn.

The renewed funding arrangement included support from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund and about N25bn reportedly generated from gifts received by the First Lady during her 65th birthday celebration, which she directed towards the completion of the National Library.

The National Library of Nigeria, established in 1964, is the country’s apex library institution, with statutory responsibilities that include collecting, preserving and providing access to Nigeria’s published intellectual heritage.

The Abuja headquarters is designed as a major national knowledge and cultural centre, with facilities for research, documentation, digital information services, exhibitions, reading spaces and the preservation of historical records.

Upon completion, the facility is expected to strengthen access to information, support academic research and provide a central location for preserving Nigeria’s documentary and cultural heritage.