National Library of Nigeria launches Campaign to Promote Reading Culture Among Young People

By: Ogunleye Oluwapelumi

The National Library of Nigeria (NLN) has launched a nationwide campaign aimed at encouraging young people to develop a reading culture. Speaking at the launch of the 2023 annual Readership Promotion Campaign (RPC) in Abuja, the National Librarian and Chief Executive Officer of the NLN, Prof. Chinwe Anunobi, expressed concern over the declining reading habits amongst Nigerians, particularly the youth. She lamented that young people were increasingly turning to social media instead of reading books.

Anunobi emphasized the importance of reading in the quest to achieve sustainable development in Nigeria. She said that reading should be a top priority for the country, and urged parents and guardians to encourage their children to read. She also stressed that independent reading leads to an increased volume of reading, which in turn leads to better reading skills and a more extensive vocabulary.

The NLN chief executive noted that reading helps to develop critical thinking skills, improves comprehension, and broadens knowledge about the world. She said that the National Library of Nigeria would continue to work towards achieving a reading nation, which she described as a leading and developed nation.

The nationwide campaign, which is themed ‘Reading Your Way to the Top’, is aimed at promoting the habit of reading among young people and encouraging them to imbibe a reading culture. It is hoped that the campaign will help to reverse the trend of declining reading habits in Nigeria and help to create a more literate society.