The Niger State Government is to revitalise the state’s moribund Library and transform it into a modern skills, innovation, and ICT hub, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Obed Nana, has disclosed.
A statement by Mr. Yunusa Ibrahim, Director of Information and Public Relations in the ministry, quoted Nana as saying this during an inspection visit to the ongoing renovation works at the Library Board.
Nana commended the Africa Initiative for Humanitarian Development, an NGO supported by Cultural Emergency Response Netherlands, for partnering with the government to restore and preserve intellectual and cultural materials damaged by years of environmental degradation.
He expressed satisfaction with the emergency intervention being carried out on the facility and the thousands of endangered books housed in the library.
According to him, the intervention became necessary after a severe rainstorm damaged sections of the library roof and exposed more than 3,000 books and archival materials to deterioration.
The commissioner described the project as a strategic initiative aimed at repositioning the library into a functional educational and technological hub capable of meeting modern demands.
“We are delighted to witness this intervention in Niger, particularly as it is being driven through collaboration with an NGO.
“As a ministry, we are optimistic that upon completion, the Niger State Library will not only function as a reading centre but also evolve into a modern ICT hub,” he said.
Nana said the state government envisioned a multi-purpose facility where one section would serve as a standard library, while other sections would accommodate ICT centres, digital learning spaces, mini business outlets, and innovation hubs.
He added that the transformation would reposition the facility into a vibrant economic and knowledge centre capable of attracting technology-driven enterprises and young entrepreneurs.
According to him, the initiative aligns with the developmental agenda of the current administration, which focuses on promoting education, innovation, youth empowerment, and sustainable development.
Speaking during the inspection, Mr. Victor Ukaki, Operations Manager of the Africa Initiative for Humanitarian Development, said the intervention was aimed at salvaging endangered books and preserving critical historical and government publications at risk of permanent loss.
Ukaki explained that the affected collections included traditional books, government documents, and culturally significant materials, many of which remain undigitised and irreplaceable.
He said the organisation undertook emergency preservation measures, repaired damaged sections of the building, and relocated the books to prevent further deterioration.
According to him, more than 3,000 books have already been salvaged and temporarily relocated, pending the completion of renovation works.
He assured Niger residents that the organisation would continue monitoring the project under its sustainability framework to ensure long-term preservation of the restored collections.
