First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has announced that more than N20 billion has been raised towards the completion of the long-abandoned National Library project in Abuja.
Speaking with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Mrs. Tinubu said the fundraising was part of her 65th birthday celebration held on September 21, 2025. She explained that instead of hosting a lavish party, she urged well-wishers to convert birthday greetings and gifts into donations under the “Oluremi at 65 Education Fund,” coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Education.
“The completion of the National Library will be a great birthday gift for me,” the First Lady said, adding that the initiative was dedicated to God and to a cause she considers close to her heart.
Mrs. Tinubu recalled her time as a senator on the Senate Committee on Education, lamenting that the Ministry of Education had struggled for decades to deliver the project, which dates back to the Shehu Shagari administration.
She stressed the importance of libraries in shaping her formative years and described them as essential for nurturing the next generation of Nigerians.
Responding to criticisms surrounding the initiative, the First Lady urged Nigerians to embrace selfless service, quoting a former American president: “Citizens should not ask what the country can do for them, but what they can do for their country.”
According to her, donations have already surpassed N20 billion, with more contributions still expected.
