The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, during his first project tour, has provided assurance that the National Library of Nigeria will be completed and open to the public within 21 months.
While inspecting the project site in Abuja, the nation’s capital, the minister emphasized that the contractor would soon resume work to finish this critically important national monument for the benefit of Nigerian citizens.
“This project is of utmost importance to Nigerians and it has remained unfinished for almost two decades. We understand the significance of a library, let alone a national one.
“Therefore, the decision has been made that we have a president who will not tolerate any incomplete projects. He is committed to delivering progress and development, and the National Library is one of the most significant structures in the world.
“Hence, it has been decided that everyone involved must return to the site,” he stated.
The minister further noted that all aspects, including the project’s cost, which was awarded many years ago, would be reassessed to align with current dynamics and expedite its completion.
“There are a few challenges, but the project will be finished in approximately 21 months.
“However, we are urging the construction company to deliver the project sooner, as we have already prolonged its timeline. This project is too important to be delayed any further,” he stressed.
Prof. Chinwe Anunobi, the National Librarian, assured that work on the library would commence immediately, followed by stakeholder meetings to ensure smooth progress.
In March 2006, when the project was initially awarded, the contract sum for the national library was N8,590,226,393.00 based on an exchange rate of N130.29. The estimated completion time was set at 22 months.
In March 2010, the Ministry of Education re-awarded the project, extending the timeline to 21 months, with a revised cost of N49,643,337,960.32.
However, Reynolds Construction Company Nigeria Ltd, the construction firm responsible for the project, projected the cost of completion in 2010 to be N120,327,599,990.45.
Furthermore, in 2012, when the exchange rate was N163, an additional N150 million was required to complete the project.
In light of the current exchange rate, which stands at 774 naira per dollar, the government will need to allocate over N100 billion to finalize the project.
