The National Orientation Agency is stepping up efforts to rebuild Nigeria’s reading culture, targeting young minds as a foundation for national development and responsible citizenship.
This follows a courtesy visit by officials of the Network of Book Clubs and Reading Culture Promoters in Nigeria to the Agency’s headquarters in Abuja, according to a statement from the NOA’s Directorate of Communication and Media.
At the meeting, the Director-General of the Agency, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, represented by the Director of Communication and Media, Mallam Bala Musa, reaffirmed the NOA’s commitment to education, literacy, and positive behavioural change, particularly among young Nigerians.
He described youths as the backbone of the nation, custodians of its values, drivers of development, and architects of its future, stressing that instilling a strong reading habit remains critical to shaping informed and responsible citizens.
The Agency also highlighted its ongoing values reorientation drive, anchored on the National Values Charter, a framework defining the ideals of a true Nigerian which has already received approval from the Federal Executive Council.
As part of efforts to institutionalise the Charter, Citizenship Studies has been integrated into primary and secondary school curricula nationwide, while collaboration with the National Universities Commission is underway to introduce a similar programme at the tertiary level.
On its part, the Network of Book Clubs and Reading Culture Promoters in Nigeria reiterated its mission to make reading a daily habit among Nigerians, describing literacy as a powerful tool for intellectual growth, lifelong learning, and national progress.
The organisation also disclosed that the Federal Capital Territory has recently been recognised as “Book City of the Year,” describing the feat as a morale booster for stakeholders working to strengthen literacy and educational development within the territory.
Several grassroots initiatives were outlined, including school quizzes, academic competitions, book donations, and partnerships aimed at deepening reading culture across the FCT.
The Network further expressed readiness to collaborate fully with the NOA, noting that joint projects would significantly expand outreach and impact nationwide.
