The National Library of Nigeria has called for sustainable funding to preserve the country’s documentary heritage, warning that inadequate and unpredictable funding could lead to the loss of valuable historical records and knowledge.
The National Librarian and Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Chinwe Veronica Anunobi, made the call on Thursday in Abuja at the launch of the National Library of Nigeria Endowment Foundation (NLNEF).
She said the foundation was established to mobilise sustainable resources to complement government funding and strengthen the library’s capacity to preserve and provide access to Nigeria’s intellectual heritage.
Anunobi said the library currently operates 35 branches across the country, which require sustained investment in infrastructure, electricity, information and communication technology and other services.
She added that the National Library headquarters under construction in Abuja also requires adequate resources for completion and long-term maintenance.
“Through NLNEF, our aspiration is clear: to ensure that no Nigerian generation inherits a library weakened by neglect, but rather a National Library strengthened by collective ownership, innovation and sustained investment,” she said.
Alhaji Ahmadu Dantata pledged N25 million annually to the foundation for as long as he lived.
Dantata, Chairman and CEO of Synergy Infrastructure Development and Investment Limited, said three pledges of N100 million each had also been secured, while efforts were underway to attract support from donor institutions in the United States, Europe and other places.
Dantata said his company was prepared to provide a data centre, free bandwidth and an energy solution to support the library.
President of the African University of Science and Technology, Prof. Peter Azikiwe Onwualu, said libraries were critical to research, innovation and technological development.
Onwualu urged the government, universities, private companies and philanthropists to invest in modern libraries equipped with digital resources, research databases and digitised archives.
Credit to our Media Partner DailyTrust .
