The Federal Government through the National Library of Nigeria (NLN) has commenced the 2022 nationwide readership promotion campaign to address the challenge of poor reading culture in Nigeria.

The government lamented the poor reading culture amongst Nigerians, saying it was at a frozen point.

National Librarian and Chief Executive Officer of the NLN, Prof Chinwe Anunobi, insisted that Nigeria must put reading at the top of her priority list in the quest towards attainment of the all- inclusive sustainable development hinging on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals to be achieved and sustained particularly SDG4, which is centred on education.

Prof Anunobi spoke at the official flag-off of the 2022 Readership Promotion Campaign with the theme: “Reading as a Panacea for Societal Problems.”

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Anunobi stated that the campaign was designed to awaken reading consciousness among Nigerians by way of promoting the availability and use of good reading materials by all and sundry as well as collectively seek solutions to the obstacles to reading culture in Nigeria.

She added that the engagement would take place in all the 36 States of the Federation including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, with a focus on donation of books and other materials to Primary/ Secondary Schools as well as other vulnerable groups in support of their learning.

She said: “This year’s campaign which is borne out of the need to impact on the local people- “the Hard to Reach” will be held in the hinterlands where out of school children which was put at 20million by UNESCO as well as the illiterate adults are found.

“When we say Hard-to Reach, we are not only talking about geographical spaces, but language barriers. So we are taking the campaign to royal palaces, to meet the royal fathers who will galvanize support by identifying volunteers, which will drive the project in those communities.”