JUST IN: ₦20.4bn raised to fund National Library – First Lady clarifies, denies political motive

By Kunle Sanni –

First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has dismissed suggestions that her fundraising drive for the National Library project is linked to political interests or the 2027 elections.

Speaking at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, on Tuesday, Mrs. Tinubu confirmed that ₦20.4 billion had been raised since the launch of the initiative last Thursday.

“Let me at this point correct a notion circulating about this fundraising. It is not connected to anything political,” she told journalists. “So far, we have raised ₦20.4 billion, and more pledges are still coming in.”

Her comments come after Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, questioned the government’s reliance on birthday donations to complete the National Library. In a post on X, Obi congratulated the First Lady on her forthcoming 65th birthday but stressed that Nigeria should not depend on such gestures to deliver critical infrastructure.

Ahead of her birthday on September 21, Mrs. Tinubu had urged friends and well-wishers to donate toward the project instead of sending gifts or buying newspaper advertisements. She explained that the contributions—channeled through the “Oluremi@65 Education Fund” under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Education—would be used for the long-stalled library complex.

“This will be the best birthday present I could ever receive,” she said in a statement. “My love for education has informed my decision to dedicate my birthday to this worthy cause.”

The National Library headquarters project, first conceived in 1981, has suffered decades of delay. Construction began in 2006 with an initial cost of ₦8.59 billion and a two-year completion target. Nearly two decades later, only about 44 percent of the 12-storey structure is complete, with estimated costs now exceeding ₦120 billion.

Situated between the National Mosque and the National Ecumenical Centre in Abuja, the unfinished library has become a symbol of stalled public projects. In April, Education Minister Tunji Alausa announced that the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) would take over financing, with work expected to resume by June 1.