Oluremi Tinubu Raises ₦20.7bn for National Library Project, Says Initiative Driven by Love, Not Politics
Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has disclosed that her 65th birthday fundraiser for the completion of the long-delayed National Library project has so far realized ₦20.7 billion.
Speaking during a lunch with journalists at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the First Lady described the initiative as “a love project” rather than a political move.
She explained that donations are being received through the Oluremi@65 Education Fund account, which will remain open until December 2025 to enable more Nigerians to contribute to what she called a “national treasure that will serve generations to come.”
Quoting Lebanese writer, poet, and philosopher Khalil Gibran, she stressed the importance of collective sacrifice in nation-building, urging Nigerians to “rise up and play their part in the building process.”
“This is not the first time I have raised funds for causes close to my heart,” Tinubu said. “For my 45th birthday, I raised ₦50 million for the National Sickle Cell Foundation Center, and for my 50th birthday, I raised ₦200 million for the New Era Foundation and other charities.”
The First Lady recalled her contributions to post-war reconstruction in Liberia, including the donation of the Oluremi Tinubu Elementary and Junior Secondary School in Montserrado County, saying her motivation for the current drive stems from her background as a teacher and the impact libraries had on her own life.
Providing an update, she said as at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 23, the account had already recorded ₦20.4 billion, with donations still coming in. She clarified that the fund is jointly managed by the Minister of Education and the Chief Librarian of the Federation, adding that her role was simply to help mobilize support.
The National Library project, initiated in 1981, has suffered decades of delays and rising costs, with the budget growing from ₦8.2 billion at inception to ₦23 billion by 2023. Tinubu assured that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is committed to completing the project within two years.
She expressed gratitude to major contributors, including President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and his wife, former President Muhammadu Buhari, former First Ladies, National Assembly leaders and their spouses, members of the Governors’ Forum, security chiefs, and top business moguls such as Aliko Dangote, Abdulsamad Rabiu, Arthur Eze, Tony Elumelu, and Jim Ovia.
“This is not just a project but a legacy for our country,” she said.
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