First Lady Oluremi Tinubu on Tuesday dismissed claims linking her 65th birthday fundraiser to President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election plans, insisting the initiative is focused solely on completing the long-delayed National Library complex in Abuja.
Speaking during an interactive session with State House Correspondents at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, Mrs Tinubu said, “Let me at this point correct a notion moving around about this fundraising. It is not connected to anything political… So far, we have raised N20.4bn since this fund launched last week, and more are still coming.”
The First Lady explained that the fundraising drive has been supported by contributions from individuals and institutions across Nigeria. She noted that this is not her first experience with philanthropy, recalling similar efforts in the past. “This is not the first time I have raised funds for causes close to my heart. For my 45th birthday, I raised N50m to complete the National Sickle Cell Foundation Centre, which has since become fully operational. For my 50th birthday, I raised N200m for the New Era Foundation,” she said.
Her statement came shortly after Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, criticised the idea of waiting for birthday donations to complete a national project. In a post on X titled ‘We Are Finished,’ Obi wrote, “We are finished! I join millions of Nigerians in wishing Her Excellency, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, a happy birthday. May God Almighty, who has been with her all these years, grant her many more healthy, fruitful, and happy years.”
Mrs Tinubu, however, stressed that her initiative was about encouraging Nigerians to take responsibility for national development. “What is wrong with drawing attention to areas of need and inclusion? Helping to rebuild does not have a political undertone—it’s our duty as citizens to contribute meaningfully to society. I even donated to the post-war rebuilding of schools in Liberia,” she said.
She urged Nigerians to adopt a spirit of service, quoting former United States President John F. Kennedy. “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country. This should guide our actions. Like President Kennedy said, ‘Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of what divides us.’”
The First Lady added that her faith has guided her commitment to philanthropy. “The biblical exhortation in Isaiah 58:6 has inspired my lifelong commitment to serving the nation,” she explained.
She announced that the special account opened for the initiative will remain active until December 2025, allowing more Nigerians to donate towards the completion of the project. According to her, the signatories to the account are the Minister of Education and the Chief Librarian of the Federation, while her role is to mobilise support.
Ahead of her birthday on Sunday, September 21, Mrs Tinubu had already appealed to well-wishers to contribute to the “Oluremi@65 Education Fund” instead of sending gifts, cakes, flowers, or publishing newspaper adverts. In a statement signed last Thursday, she explained, “I wish to appeal to those who would like to send a birthday card, cakes, flowers, greetings in the newspapers, or gifts should please send the funds to the designated account for a special project close to my heart… The completion of the National Library. This will be the best birthday present I would ever receive. My love for education has informed my decision to dedicate my birthday to this worthy cause.”
The National Library project, first proposed in 1981, has faced decades of delay. Awarded in 2006 at a cost of N8.59bn, the 11-storey complex was expected to be completed within two years. However, costs ballooned, and by 2023, only 44 per cent of the structure was completed. Estimates to finish the project have since ranged between N49.6bn and N120bn.
The site, located between the National Mosque and the National Ecumenical Centre in Abuja, has become a symbol of stalled infrastructure in Nigeria. Several governments have pledged to finish the project, and in 2025, the Federal Government directed the Tertiary Education Trust Fund to take over its financing. In April, Education Minister Tunji Alausa announced that work would restart by June 1 after site inspections. In September 2025, the Nigerian Library Association renewed its appeal for the urgent completion of the project, citing its importance for education, research, and cultural preservation.
Mrs Tinubu highlighted that the fundraiser has attracted wide support from leaders and institutions. Contributors include President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and his wife, former President Muhammadu Buhari, several former First Ladies, the Senate President and his wife, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and his wife, members of the National Assembly, the governors’ forum and governors’ spouses, security chiefs and their wives, as well as business moguls such as Aliko Dangote, Abdulsamad Rabiu, Arthur Eze, Tony Elumelu, and Jim Ovia, among many others.
Mrs Tinubu, a former senator and former First Lady of Lagos State, has consistently linked her advocacy to education, women’s empowerment, and youth development. She said her decision to dedicate her birthday to the National Library project reflects her belief in collective responsibility for education and national progress.
She said, “This is about drawing attention to what matters for the future of our children and the growth of our society. We cannot always wait for government budgets alone to fix everything. Citizens, leaders, and institutions must play their part.”
With N20.4bn already raised within days of the launch, the initiative has become one of the largest private-driven fundraisers in Nigeria’s education sector, sparking debates about philanthropy, governance, and the role of public support in driving development projects.