Federal Government has issued a strong warning to contractors and consultants handling the long-delayed National Library of Nigeria project, saying any further delays or poor-quality work will attract sanctions.
Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting on the project in Abuja, Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa said the Federal Government was ready to provide the funding needed to complete the project but would insist on accountability, quality and value for money from everyone involved.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah, the government will introduce clear delivery timelines and hold contractors accountable for meeting them.
“This is a change day. We will make you accountable for the timelines we’re going to set for ourselves,” Alausa told the stakeholders.
He explained that the new contractual framework would include both incentives and penalties to ensure compliance and improve performance.
“If you’re not meeting your guidelines, the timelines, I’m sorry, you’ll be penalised,” he warned.
To fast-track completion, the minister disclosed that the project would now be executed in two phases—physical construction and furnishing—with both components running simultaneously. He assured contractors that funding would not be a challenge, provided they delivered quality work within agreed timelines.
Alausa described the National Library as more than a building, saying it is a critical institution for education, research, knowledge preservation and human capital development.
He recalled that the project was conceived in 1981 and construction began in 2006 with an expected completion period of 24 months. However, despite the 2008 completion target, the project has remained unfinished for nearly two decades.
The minister noted that the library occupies a prime location in Abuja’s Central Business District alongside major national landmarks and said the renewed effort to complete it reflects President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to improving education infrastructure.
He thanked President Tinubu for providing the political will to revive the project and also commended First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for supporting its completion.
Alausa revealed that the First Lady raised about N25 billion within two months after dedicating her 2025 birthday to mobilising support for the National Library project.
He added that her visit to the Qatar National Library had inspired the Federal Government’s vision for the Nigerian facility, with officials directed to adopt modern features from the world-class institution.
“We’ll have a National Library that looks like National Library of Qatar,” Alausa said.
He explained that the completed library would be modern, accessible and inclusive, with dedicated facilities for children, persons with disabilities, pregnant women, girls and boys. Modern furniture and global best practices would also be incorporated into the project.
The minister commended the management of the National Library, contractors and consultants for their efforts but urged them to match the Federal Government’s renewed commitment with professionalism, urgency and accountability.
He added that the Ministry of Education, working with the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, would closely monitor the project to ensure every stakeholder fulfilled their responsibilities.
Alausa reaffirmed that the Federal Government would not compromise on quality, standards or value for money, stressing that every public fund invested in the project must deliver a National Library Nigerians would be proud of.