The Federal Government has vowed to complete the long-abandoned National Library of Nigeria (NLN) headquarters project in Abuja within 24 months, warning contractors against any delay and assuring them of timely payment to sustain construction.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, gave the assurance on Thursday during a familiarisation visit to the project site, ahead of the formal return-to-site flag-off by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, scheduled for November 19, 2026, saying contractors have fully mobilised to site and work will not stop until the building is commissioned.
The Minister said contractors had returned to the site and begun work, with the government aiming to finish construction within 24 months.
The pledge follows years of funding shortfalls, contract disputes and administrative bottlenecks that repeatedly halted the project, which was conceived in 1981 and began construction in 2006.
Alausa said the Federal Government had created processes to speed payments to contractors and consultants, warning that any delays in processing should be reported directly to his office.
“We have put processes in place on how the contractor will request additional payment,” he said during a visit to the site.
“If there are delays in processing, I need to know,” the Minister said.
The renewed push follows the Federal Executive Council’s (FEC) approval in August 2026 of ₦118.309 billion to augment the existing construction contract.
The government also approved additional funding for furnishing the facility, bringing the total funding requirement to roughly ₦155 billion, according to officials and reports cited by the ministry.
The funding package includes support from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund and about ₦25 billion reportedly generated from gifts received by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu during her 65th birthday celebration, which she directed toward the library’s completion.
The Abuja headquarters was originally awarded to Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) at a contract value of ₦8.59 billion, with an expected completion period of about 22 months.
Construction began on April 29, 2006, under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The project was substantially completed in 2008, but work stopped soon afterward.
A 2010 budget-implementation report showed the contract sum had risen to ₦17.01 billion after variations driven by rising costs.
Successive revival efforts failed, leaving the structure idle for roughly 18 years.
Alausa said the prolonged abandonment reflected misplaced priorities, given the library’s role in Nigeria’s educational, cultural and archival development.
He credited RCC with maintaining security at the site and preventing encroachment during the pulse.
The Minister praised the First Lady for her advocacy and personal commitment to the project, saying her intervention helped secure additional funding.
A formal return-to-site ceremony led by the First Lady is scheduled for November 19, 2026.
Officials said the completed library is intended to serve as more than a repository of books.
Plans include specialised spaces for children and people with disabilities, including those with visual and hearing impairments, as well as facilities for research, exhibitions, digital services and the preservation of historical records.
Nader Yusuf, Managing Director of RCC reaffirmed the company’s commitment to the project and said it would complete construction within 18 months.
The National Library of Nigeria (NLN), established in 1964, is the country’s apex library institution.
It is responsible for collecting, preserving and providing access to Nigeria’s published intellectual heritage.
If completed, the Abuja headquarters is expected to strengthen access to information, support academic research and provide a central venue for preserving the country’s documentary and cultural heritage.
