Nigeria’s First Lady Raises ₦20.7 Billion for National Library Project at 65th Birthday Fundraiser
Nigeria’s First Lady Oluremi Tinubu announces ₦20.7 billion raised to complete the long-delayed National Library.
She urges continued public support, citing education’s power to drive national growth and unity.
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Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, says a total of ₦20.7 billion has been raised so far through her 65th birthday appeal to complete the long-delayed National Library project.
Speaking during a media luncheon at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, she explained that the Oluremi@65 Education Fund will remain open until December 2025 to enable more donations from individuals and institutions across the country.
Referencing ideas from Lebanese poet and philosopher Khalil Gibran’s 1925 essay ‘The New Frontier’, Mrs Tinubu said national development cannot be achieved by government alone. According to her, every citizen has a role to play in building the country. “When people bring together their small efforts, it becomes something far larger and more powerful,” she stated. She emphasized that her drive to support the library was shaped by her background as a teacher and her belief in the transformative power of access to knowledge.
The First Lady also highlighted a pattern of philanthropy tied to her milestone birthdays: ₦50 million raised for the National Sickle Cell Foundation when she turned 45, and ₦200 million mobilized for the New Era Foundation and other charities at age 50.
“As of 2 p.m. today, contributions to the fund have reached ₦20.4 billion and are still increasing,” she noted, describing the National Library as a “national legacy project” intended to serve generations of Nigerians.
Senator Tinubu clarified that the Education Minister and the Chief Librarian of the Federation are the official signatories to the fund, adding that her own role is simply to galvanize public and private support.
She expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and his wife, former President Muhammadu Buhari, past First Ladies, National Assembly leaders, governors and their spouses, security chiefs, and leading business figures including Aliko Dangote, Abdulsamad Rabiu, Arthur Eze, Tony Elumelu, and Jim Ovia for their contributions.
