Building a Reading Nation: NOA, NBRP Launch Initiative to Boost Reading Culture

In a bid to foster a reading culture nationwide, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the Network of Book Clubs and Reading Culture Promoters in Nigeria (NBRP) have joined forces to implement initiatives aimed at cultivating a lasting interest in reading, promoting literacy, and nurturing informed and responsible citizenship.

Thd NBRP, led by the Abuja Coordinator, Chief Loye Olowokere said the core mission of the Network of Book Clubs and Reading Culture Promoters is to encourage more Nigerians to embrace reading as a daily habit, noting that reading remains a critical tool for intellectual development, lifelong learning, and national progress. He was in the company of the Vice President of NBRP, Mrs Msurshina Comfort Chenge,, the Publicity Secretary of the Abuja Book City Lady Ejiro Umukoro, and the Assistant Secretary of the club, Ilori Ayotola.

While announcing that the FCT has recently been named “Book City of the Year,” the Coordinator described the recognition as a major boost to efforts aimed at promoting a strong reading culture within the territory, noting that the achievement reflects the collective commitment of stakeholders to advancing literacy and educational development in the FCT.

He further highlighted some of the initiatives earlier carried out by the organisation, including the organisation of quizzes and academic competitions in schools across the FCT, the distribution of books, and partnerships with relevant stakeholders to deepen reading culture.

Addressing the NBRP delegation, the Director-General of the Agency, represented by the Director of Media and Communication, Mallam Bala Musa, said the Agency is committed to promoting education and positive behavioural change, especially among young Nigerians.

Musa stated that young Nigerians are crucial to the nation, as they represent the future of the country and hold the responsibility of sustaining its values, driving development, and shaping its long-term growth.

Speaking on the Agency’s efforts toward values reorientation, he disclosed that the NOA has developed a National Values Charter, which clearly outlines the core values that define a true Nigerian, adding that the charter has received approval from the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

On the National Values Charter, the Director disclosed that Citizenship Studies, as part of the Charter’s institutionalisation policies, has been incorporated into the curriculum of primary and secondary schools, adding that the Agency has also established a partnership with the National Universities Commission (NUC) to develop a similar curriculum for students in universities.

Also speaking, the National Vice President of the NBRP, Mrs Msurshina Comfort Chenge, affirmed the organisation’s readiness to collaborate with the NOA, highlighting that the union is currently implementing several projects and would welcome the agency’s active participation.

In her remarks, the FCT Publicity Secretary of the organisation, Lady Ejiro Umukoro and global award winning media executive and author while she expressed satisfaction with the various initiatives the NOA has carried out over the years, noted that NOA’s impact needs to be felt across mainstream in the consciousness of Nigerians and the global community in how it is shaping the identify and values of who a Nigerian is, emphasising that the NBRP could leverage the agency’s wide reach to further promote a reading culture across the country.

The meeting, attended by staff of the NOA and NBRP executive member, Mrs Ayotola Ilori, a notable anti-bullying activist, also featured the exchange of books and other IEC materials between the two organisations.