By Felix Khanoba
Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, has assured contractors handling the National Library of Nigeria project in Abuja of prompt payment and efficient administrative processes, warning that bureaucratic bottlenecks must not frustrate efforts to complete the long-abandoned national edifice.
Alausa gave the assurance during an inspection visit to the project site on November 5, 2026, ahead of the formal flag-off of the return to construction by First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, scheduled for November 19.
The minister said the Federal Government was determined to prevent another interruption in the construction work, expressing confidence that the project would be completed within the stipulated 24-month period.
According to a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah, Alausa said the Ministry of Education had put mechanisms in place to ensure uninterrupted funding and construction activities until the facility is completed.
“Our own commitment at the Federal Ministry of Education is that work will not stop for one day until we get to the point where we commission this building,” he said.
He urged contractors and consultants to promptly report any challenges relating to payment processing, warning that unnecessary administrative delays would not be tolerated.
The minister explained that arrangements had been made to facilitate requests for additional project funding, adding that he was prepared to personally intervene whenever payment-related challenges threatened the construction schedule.
“We have put processes in place on how the contractor will request for additional payment. I am going to speak publicly to all contractors and consultants today. If there are delays in processing, I need to know. I want to be bothered because this is a commitment to the Nigerian people,” he stated.
Alausa attributed the renewed progress on the project to the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who directed the release and mobilisation of funds as well as the return of contractors to the site.
He described the President’s intervention as evidence of his administration’s recognition of education as a fundamental driver of national development.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu knows exactly what this country needs. He knows that education is the bedrock of any egalitarian society. If any society must develop, it must educate its citizens. That is why this President has placed so much emphasis on education and given us all the support we need,” he said.
The minister also praised the First Lady for her advocacy and personal involvement in efforts to revive the project, noting that her intervention had helped secure additional funding and advance plans for a modern national library.
He disclosed that the First Lady’s vision was to make the facility more than a conventional repository of books and historical records by incorporating inclusive learning and cultural spaces for different categories of Nigerians.
According to him, the proposed library would have dedicated facilities for children and persons with disabilities, including people with visual and hearing impairments, to guarantee wider access to knowledge and information.
The National Library project, which began in 2006 with an initial two-year completion target, was substantially completed in 2008 before construction was discontinued in 2014.
The prolonged inactivity left the project abandoned for nearly 12 years, a development Alausa described as a setback to Nigeria’s educational, cultural and archival development.
However, the minister expressed satisfaction with preparations for the resumption of work, particularly commending Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) for maintaining the site and protecting the existing infrastructure throughout the period of inactivity.
He said the contractor’s efforts in securing the facility had helped preserve the project and created favourable conditions for construction to resume.
Alausa also acknowledged the contributions of the Acting Permanent Secretary, Dr Olatunji David; the Chief Executive Officer of the National Library of Nigeria; the ministry’s management; consultants and other stakeholders involved in preparing the project for its revival.
He further commended the contractors responsible for furnishing and equipping the facility, saying the Federal Government was drawing from international best practices, including the experience of the Qatar National Library, to ensure that the completed building meets modern standards.
The minister said the facility would become a major national cultural and educational destination, providing access to historical archives, promoting Nigeria’s cultural heritage, hosting international conferences and attracting tourists.
He challenged the management of the National Library to develop sustainable programmes that would make the institution an active centre of learning, research and public engagement rather than merely a building housing books and documents.
Earlier, the Managing Director of RCC, Engr. Nader Yusuf, thanked the minister for inspecting the project and reaffirmed the company’s readiness to deliver the construction work within its stipulated 18-month timeline.
Yusuf assured that RCC would comply with the minister’s directives, adding that the company had maintained adequate security at the site, prevented encroachment and preserved the existing structures during the years of inactivity.
He expressed confidence that the project would be successfully delivered in line with the Federal Government’s expectations.
Alausa, in his concluding remarks, reiterated the government’s determination to complete the National Library within the agreed timeframe, urging contractors, consultants and other stakeholders to maintain high standards and work collaboratively.
He assured Nigerians that the Ministry of Education would intensify supervision and ensure that financial and administrative processes did not hinder the timely delivery of the project.
