First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has successfully raised over N20 billion to fund the completion of the long-abandoned National Library project in Abuja.
Earlier this month, the First Lady appealed to friends and well-wishers to turn birthday gifts and greetings into donations in support of the project.
Marking her 65th birthday on September 21, 2025, Mrs. Tinubu said in a video message that she chose to dedicate the day to God and a cause dear to her heart rather than host a lavish party.
The funds, she explained, are being coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Education under the “Oluremi at 65 Education Fund.” According to her, completing the National Library would be the perfect birthday gift.
Addressing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, the First Lady recalled her time as a member of the Senate Committee on Education, lamenting that the ministry had been unable to complete the project.
She described how libraries shaped her growing up years, noting her disappointment that the project—initiated during the Shehu Shagari administration—remains unfinished decades later.
Responding to criticism of her initiative, Mrs. Tinubu urged Nigerians to take inspiration from the words of a former American President, saying citizens should not ask what their country can do for them but rather what they can do for their country.
“So far, Nigerians have donated over N20 billion Naira and the more is still coming in,” she said.
