Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Conference Fund/WikiConference Nigeria 2024/Final Report

Conference Fund Final Report

Report Status: Under review

Due date: 30 November 2024

Funding program: Conference Fund

Report type: Final

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General information

Title of proposal: WikiConference Nigeria 2024
Username of applicant: Olaniyan Olushola
Name of organization: N/A
Amount awarded: 54007.8
Amount spent: 53023.89 USD, 69991932 NGN

Part 1: Understanding your work

1. Did your event have any impact that you did not expect, positive or negative?

General overview

Scope

The WikiConference Nigeria 2024 took place in Abuja, Nigeria, from 12–14 September 2024. This conference was hosted and organized by the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria in collaboration with established Wikimedia User Groups in Nigeria, including the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group, Igbo Wikimedians User Group, Hausa Wikimedians User Group, and the Tyap Wikimedians User Group. It was funded by the Wikimedia Foundation (WMF).

The conference was the first Wikimedia national conference in Nigeria, funded by the Wikimedia Foundation. Its primary aim was to unite Wikimedia communities across Nigeria and define effective strategies for collaboration to advance the Wikimedia movement in the country. Additionally, the event focused on capacity building, knowledge sharing, networking, skill acquisition, and celebrating the collective knowledge that has been shared through Wikimedia projects over the years, as well as the contributors who have been instrumental to their success. Awards were presented to exceptional contributors to Wikimedia projects in Nigeria, as well as to at least one non-Wikimedia contributor.

Core organizing team

Team	User Names	Roles
WMF Liaison	Olaniyan Olushola	Liaise with the Wikimedia Foundation, Grant and partnership
Logistics	Kayode Yussuf, Dansu Peter	Coordination of conference logistics and the logistics team
Conference Program	Tochi Precious, Friday Musa, User:Iwuala Lucy, Uwasonye Franca, Ugwulebo Jeremiah, Ogali Hillary, Chukwu Pascal	Coordination of programs and the programs committee
Scholarships	Olatunde Isaac and all the COT members	Coordination of scholarship and the scholarship committee
Communications	User:Ammarpad, Ayokanmi Oyeyemi, Kambai Akau	Coordinate communications and the communication team
Outreach and community engagement	User:Agbalagba, and Rhoda James	Coordination of outreach and community engagement team
Photography and recording	Yemi Festus and Dappa Solomon	Coordination of photography and program recording

Scholarship award

Scholarships were awarded to 80 participants from 23 states across Nigeria. Initially, we planned to award scholarships to 70 participants, but this number was increased to 80. In total, 140 individuals, including partners, media representatives, and invited guests, participated in the conference. Of the 80 scholarships awarded, only 26 went to female participants. Our original goal was to have at least 40 female participants; however, we did not receive a significant number of scholarship applications from women. A committee, Scholarship Review Committee (SRC) of nine (9) members drawn from the Core Organizing Team. The scholarship committee was chaired and coordinated by Isaac Olatunde who has chaired many similar conferences including Wiki Indaba Conferences.

The scholarship application was opened from June - July 2024 and applicants were notified of the status of their application in August 2024.

Logistics

The conference was well-organized, thanks to the logistics team's dedicated efforts, including Kayode Yussuf and Dansu Peter and the consulting firm that provided professional support to the logistics team. Their responsibilities included securing a suitable venue, arranging hotel accommodations, coordinating travel, overseeing conference catering, overseeing the conference technical team, ensuring effective communication, and managing volunteers. The team was focused and determined to make the conference program smooth and engaging for all participants. They invested significant time and effort into improving participant management processes.

However, the team encountered three major challenges. First, finding decent hotel accommodations for participants proved difficult. Shared accommodations were particularly challenging in Abuja, as twin bedrooms are not standard in Nigeria, resulting in some participants having to share beds. Second, the naira-dollar fluctuations affected the travel booking process, making it difficult to manage costs. While the team managed to cope with these challenges through the support of the consultant engaged in this exercise, dealing with the frequent and unnecessary currency fluctuations was far from easy.

The team also faced issues with Wi-Fi instability at the conference venue. Although the federal government of Nigeria, through its agency, the Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT), provided internet support, the service was largely ineffective. NIGCOMSAT attributed the poor network quality to the hotel's architecture, which compounded the issue. The logistics team worked closely with the communications team to manage interactions with participants, the Wikimedia Foundation, and partners. They addressed requests, handled complaints, and responded to questions related to travel and other concerns. Travel bookings were outsourced to Hikrz Travels, who had previously provided excellent service during WikiConference 2024 in Nigeria.

Despite these challenges, the logistical operations were largely successful, supported by the expertise of Wikimedia Nigeria Foundation staff and the collaboration of other Wikimedia User Groups in Nigeria, including the Igbo Wikimedians User Group, Yoruba Wikimedians User Group, and Hausa Wikimedians User Group. Overall, we are satisfied with the organization of the conference, and participant feedback indicates that the event was a resounding success. We believe that strengthening the logistics team will further improve future conference editions.

General overview of activities of logistics coordinators

Area	Task (summarized)	end outcome
Cost management	Create budget plan	Complied
	Process invoices, expenses tracking and cost control
	Set up actual cost overview
	Create invoices from vendors to the fiscal sponsor
Location management	Conference venue research and negotiation	Complied
	Conference venue
	Check technical & equipment as well as catering needs
	Catering contracting
	Wifi for conference venue
	Create room plans & schedules
	Set up / Dismantlement
	Manage location and catering team on-site
Hotel Management	Hotel research and quotations solicitation"	Complied
	Hotel negotiations
	Hotel contracting
	Hotel reservation for participants
Participant Management	Set up concept and create registration form	Complied
	Checking and managing incoming emails
	Adding participants on meta
	Communicating with participants
	Visa Management, creating and sending invitation letters
	Participants support, registration on-site
Communication Management	Creation and maintenance of meta page	Complied
	Sending information and updates via mail to participants
	Creation and administration of mailing list
	Respond to individual needs and requirements of participants and other stakeholders
	Create documents for on- site usage (signage, conference guide etc.)
Social Event	Location scouting	Complied
	Location booking
	Brainstorming and preparing social activities
	On-site management of participants and service providers

File:WCN 2024 1A 04.jpg File:WCN 2024 109.jpg File:WCN AEROBICS 8.jpg File:NWC TIME MEAL 07.jpg File:WCN 2024 146.jpg

Program

The Program Committee received 70 submissions, of which 45 were accepted. The program was coordinated by Tochi Precious. Through elaborate discussions and meetings with members of the program team, COT and feedback and input from the community, the committee designed the appropriate theme for the conference. They also developed the submission process and assessed the submissions based on carefully selected criteria aligned with the agreed theme. The 2024 WikiConference program featured a well-rounded mix of lectures, workshops, tutorials, panels, and roundtables. The schedule also allowed for community meetups, which participants took full advantage of.

The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Vince Kolatuji, National Commissioner and CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission. In his address, he highlighted the critical role of data privacy and security in the digital era.

There was an awards night as part of the conference program, which took place on Day 1. Important dignitaries from the government, civil society, and other invited guests attended the event, where notable Wikimedians were recognized for their contributions. The sudden death of Wilson Onhua was unexpected, as he had been actively involved in organizing the conference programs and had personally managed the stage for the awards ceremony. However, the situation was effectively managed by the conference organizing team, and his passing did not disrupt the conference.

The conference program faced some challenges that negatively impacted the overall delivery of the event. Time management was not effectively handled, as several sessions overlapped. This issue was compounded by the fact that the sessions were held on different floors, which created delays as participants had to move from one floor to another. The time needed for these movements was not factored into the program design.

Additionally, there were online presentations, but poor internet connectivity hindered effective participation, making it difficult to gain meaningful insights from the online sessions.

There was a dedicated sessions for how to boost contributions to local language Wikipedia in terms of quality of contents and contributors. It was acknowledged that the Nigeria Wikimedia community faces challenges in content creation, particularly for local languages and underrepresented topics. It was suggested that there is a need for awareness campaigns and strategies to engage a wider audience, including students, professionals, and institutions. Strengthening campaigns like Wiki Loves Africa and WikiGap could help raise awareness and attract more editors who are native speakers of the language.

It was emphasized that increased content, especially in local languages like Yoruba, Hausa, and Igbo, is crucial to address gaps in Nigeria's knowledge ecosystem. The community calls for more grassroots and public sector awareness campaigns to reach a broader audience. The lack of a clear handover process for ongoing projects was identified as an obstacle to maintaining momentum during leadership transitions, suggesting the need for structured handover guidelines.

The community identified that collaborations with academic institutions and external organizations are essential to building more robust content, with universities and cultural institutions seen as key supporters. Hands-on workshops and technical sessions could enhance learning and provide practical skills for new editors, while sharing experiences between editors of larger and smaller language Wikipedias would guide content growth.

They recommended that training workshops should focus on translation skills and content management, helping editors from smaller language Wikipedias. Preserving local languages through Wikipedia will ensure their survival and global recognition. Advocacy for local language preservation and Wikipedia access in schools can be strengthened by engaging policymakers as allies.

Inclusivity was identified as a priority, with projects needing to consider diverse groups such as women, people with disabilities, and other underrepresented communities. Simplifying project terminologies and workflows can encourage broader participation. A recognizable Wikimedia tag could foster a sense of belonging within the community, driving engagement.

Other Recommendations

Strengthen awareness campaigns like Wiki Loves Africa and WikiGap.
Develop structured handover guidelines for ongoing projects.
Increase collaborations with academic institutions and cultural organizations.
Organize more hands-on workshops to enhance editor skills.
Focus on training for content translation and management.
Advocate for local language preservation and Wikipedia access in schools.
Make projects more inclusive and accessible to diverse groups.
Use simple promotional strategies to boost participation.
Foster partnerships for resource mobilization, including non-monetary support.

Social events

Networking and socializing are core values of any Wikimedia-related conference. Two social events were organized for participants: the Award Special Dinner and the Abuja Tour. The tour was organized by the Conference Organizing Team in collaboration with the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation and Tour Nigeria. At the award dinner, participants were entertained by the Real Brazz Troupe from Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, and enjoyed musical performances by each user group, as well as performances by talented participants. It was an exciting and emotional moment as individuals were called to receive their awards. Special Nigerian delicacies were served at the dinner, and participants were entertained throughout the event.

There was an Aerobic session in Day 2 and it was fun for participants and serve as a way to network, and build a strong bond together as a community. In general, the social events were interesting and from our own experience and feedback from participants, it was very successful

File:Award Night 1501 06.jpg File:Awards Night 139.jpg File:Awards Night 136.jpg File:Awards Night 129.jpg File:Awards Night 118.jpg File:Participants at wikinaija conference 2024 24.jpg

2. What do you think will be the long term impact of this conference?

Long-term impact

Please share a brief update about the status projects, important discussions and/or capacity building that took place at the event.

Impacts	Activities during the conference	6 months after the conference	10 months after the conference
Unified Wikimedia Community In Nigeria:	The need for the Wikimedia affiliates in Nigeria to be united was identified during the conference, and recommendations were made on how our unity could be enhanced. Some of the recommendations discussed included: Collaborations on arrays of projects that promote free knowledge in Nigeria The WikiConference Nigeria should be sustained as a platforms to promote a unified community in Nigeria Knowledge-sharing opportunities among the affiliates Showing respect for each user group's mandate Capacity-building for new affiliates Drawing the path on the management of the impact of machine translation kits on local languages.
Capacity Development	We had about 10 Capacity-building sessions, and at least an average of 15 people participated in each training session. There were several discussions on capacity-building for community members, and capacity-building was recommended in the following areas Navigating the basics of Wikipedia editing How to build partnerships for the small language community How to recruit volunteers for small language Wikipedia Event organizing and report writing
Improved quality of contents on small language Wikipedia	It was acknowledged at the conference that the quality of content on the local language Wikipedia is suboptimal and needs to be improved. The following recommendations were suggested Organization of cleanup drives Periodic training on the responsible use of the content translation tools Working groups should be formed to promote enhanced and quality content on small-language Wikipedia Promote the use of the African language Wikipedia Recruitment of native speakers as contributors Reduce the amount of incentives for content creation drives

3. Would you say that your work improved participants’ ability to apply new skills and knowledge?

Yes

3a. If yes, please describe how and why you think this was successful. Please describe why you think this is the case.

Yes, several capacity-building sessions were held at the conference and all the conference participants attended one capacity-capcity building session or the other. We believed this was successful based on our reflections during and after the conference, and the feedback from participants (via survey), facilitators, affiliates and partners, we think this was successful.

4. Please use this space to upload media and other files that help tell your story and impact. You can also provide links to them.

Field to type in URLs.

5. To what extent do you agree with the following statements regarding the work carried out with the support of this Fund? You can choose “not applicable” if your work does not relate to these goals.

Our efforts during the Fund period have helped to...
A. Bring in participants from underrepresented groups
B. Create a more inclusive and connected culture in our community	Strongly agree
C. Develop content about underrepresented topics/groups
D. Develop content from underrepresented perspectives	Agree
E. Encourage the retention of editors	Agree
F. Encourage the retention of organizers	Strongly agree

6. Please share resources that would be useful to share with other Wikimedia organizations so that they can learn from, adapt or build upon your work. For instance, guides, training material, presentations, work processes, or any other material the team has created to document and transfer knowledge about your work and can be useful for others. Please share any specific resources that you are creating, adapting/contextualizing in ways that are unique to your context (i.e. training material).

Upload Documents and Files

Here is an additional field to type in URLs.

N/A

7. Is there anything else you would like to share about how your efforts helped to bring in participants and/or build out content, particularly for underrepresented groups?

N/A

Part 2: Your main learning

8. Were there any major challenges or things you found difficult that you would like to share? What would you do differently next time?

1. Internet connection problems

A reliable internet connection is essential for Wikimedia events, including conferences, workshops, and edit-a-thons. During capacity-building sessions at conferences, it enables participants to practice what they have learned, work on Wikimedia projects, or edit directly in real time. Participants also rely on good internet to make video calls, such as updating family members about their trip, as well as to upload and download data or information.

Understanding the importance of reliable internet, the organizing team took proactive measures to ensure good connectivity. We conducted thorough inquiries into WiFi options and evaluated the cost implications of installing dedicated internet services at the conference venue within our budget, as we didn’t want to rely solely on the hotel's network. To enhance connectivity, we partnered with NigComSat to provide robust internet for the event and even conducted a test run a few days before the conference.

Unfortunately, despite our efforts, internet quality during the conference was poor. After investigating, we discovered that the hotel's architecture significantly impacted the WiFi performance, leading to uneven distribution across the venue. The internet quality varied greatly from room to room, causing significant challenges for participants.

Moving forward, we will prioritize internet quality during our planning process. Conducting a feasibility check on internet reliability at potential venues will be a critical part of our checklist to avoid similar issues in future events.

2. The challenge of finding the venue that suits the conference

We were faced with the challenge of finding the venue that suits the conference. Twin bedrooms were recommended to minimize costs. A twin bedroom is not popular in Nigeria, so it was difficult to get a hotel that has a twin bedroom. Participants had to share the same bed, which is not a good idea considering hat we do not have the medical history of all participants. Based on this experience, we will recommend that the budget for accommodation should be prepared based on the host country's culture. Diversity is one of the core values of the Wikimedia movement. What works well in Europe, for example, doesn't necessarily work in Africa.

3. Scholarship selection

We adopted a model that prioritized members of the Wikimedians User Group. However, this approach resulted in the exclusion of participants from certain states. The reason for this is that established User Groups are often stronger in the states or regions where they operate, giving members in those areas a higher chance of being selected compared to those from other states. These members are typically more familiar to the group's leadership and have more opportunities to participate in activities.

In the future, while we will continue to prioritize established affiliates, we plan to adopt a model that ensures a more equitable distribution of scholarships across all states.

9. Was there any non-financial support that the Wikimedia Foundation could have provided that would have better supported you in achieving your goals?

No, there was no additional non-financial support needed from the Wikimedia Foundation (WMF). The Foundation sponsored at least three staff members to attend the conference, and they provided valuable assistance in managing various aspects of the event during the conference days. Their support was sufficient for a national conference of this scale.

Although we had hoped to have Veronica Thamani, the Regional Program Officer for MEA, present at the conference, it was not possible. The reasons for her absence were communicated to us, and we understood the situation. Overall, we were satisfied with the non-financial support provided by the WMF.

10. What would you recommend on a local and/or regional level as the best next step to leverage your success and momentum?

We recommended the following based on our experience implementing the WikiConferen Nigeria 2024.

Shared accommodations should be discontinued or abolished
Conference organizers should conduct a feasibility check on internet reliability at potential venues and consider it a critical part of their checklist.
A Steering Committee that is distinct from the Core Organizing Team should be constituted and clear roles and responsibilities should be documents
Scholarship distributions should not be affiliates-based. i.e while Wikimedia affiliates may be prioritized, the scholarship should be equitably distributed across states (for countries) and regions.
Conference breakout rooms should ideally be on the same floor to minimize time wastage. If the breakout rooms are on different floors, the time required for movement between them should be factored into the schedule to ensure smooth transitions and avoid disruptions.

11. Please add any 3 operational recommendations for future events organizers.

We recommend the following 3 operational recommendations for future events organizers

Shared accomodations should be discontinued or abolished
Conference organizers should conduct a feasibility check on internet reliability at potential venue and consider it a critical part of their checklist.
Conference breakout rooms should ideally be located on the same floor to minimize time wastage. If the breakout rooms are on different floors, the time required for movement between them should be factored into the schedule to ensure smooth transitions and avoid disruptions.

Part 3: Metrics

12. Open Metrics reporting

In your application, you defined some open metrics and targets (goals). You will see a table like the one below with your metric in the title and the target you set in your proposal automatically filled in.

Open Metrics Summary
Open Metrics	Description	Target	Results	Comments	Methodology
Promote gender equality	We will ensure gender balance at the conference. At least 45% of the participants will be non-male.	45	47	We initially proposed to award scholarships to at least 45 women. However, we ended up awarding scholarships to only 30% women due to a lower number of applications received from women. Despite this, women accounted for at least 47% of the total participants, including those who did not receive scholarships.	Excel spreadsheets
Programs	At least 20 programs including panel discussions would happen at the conference	20	45	At least 45 programs including panel discussions happened at the conference	https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WikiConference_Nigeria_2024/Program
Participants	100 people participate from the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria	100	140	At least 140 people participate from the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria	Google Excel Spreadsheets
Problems facing the Wikimedia community in Nigeria	We will ensure that solutions are proposed to the common issues facing contributors from Nigeria (internet accessibility & cost, harassment, language input not standardized, volunteer burnout, etc.). At least 10 solutions would be proposed	5	12	At least 10 solutions were proposed to address the issues of internet accessibility & cost, harassment, language input not standardized, volunteer burnout, etc	Google Excel Spreadsheets
Strategic discussion	at least 5 strategic discussions would happen at the conference and a common strategy is agreed	5	7	at least 7 strategic discussions happened at the conference and a common strategy was agreed	Google Excel Spreadsheet

13. Were there any metrics in your proposal that you could not collect or that you had to change?

No

13a. If you have any difficulties collecting data to measure your results, please describe and add any recommendations on how to address them in the future. Also mention why you felt you had to change some metrics.

N/A

14. Here are the templates of registration and survey tools that the Wikimedia Foundation has developed so that you can use in your conference fund work.

1. Standard Registration Form, 2. Post-event participant survey

14a. Please share the result(s) with us, provide the link(s) or summarize the main result(s) and insight(s) from them.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1b_Zy6yDy1U8fgOhj5ZT-T967fFkmCG7IGdulOOhl9yY/edit#responses

14b. If you used other forms, please share them with us, as these forms might be useful for others to use.

Part 4: Financial reporting and compliance

15. & 16. Please state the total amount spent in your local currency.

69991932 NGN

17. Please state the total amount spent in USD.

53023.89 USD

18. Please report the funds received and spending in the currency of your fund.

Upload a financial report file.

Please provide a link to your financial reporting document.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1NWSWRTz9YtlOcrHF91LrHvbLes_PBtUj/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=101598098093447600139&rtpof=true&sd=true

As required in the fund agreement, please report any deviations from your fund proposal here. Note that, among other things, any changes must be consistent with our WMF mission, must be for charitable purposes as defined in the grant agreement, and must otherwise comply with the grant agreement.

19. If you have not already done so in your budget report, please provide information on changes in the budget in relation to your original proposal.

N/A

20. Do you have any unspent funds from the Fund?

No

20a. Please list the amount and currency you did not use and explain why.

N/A

20b. What are you planning to do with the underspent funds?

N/A

20c. Please provide details of hope to spend these funds.

N/A

21. Are you in compliance with the terms outlined in the fund agreement?

Yes

22. Are you in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations as outlined in the grant agreement?

Yes

23. Are you in compliance with provisions of the United States Internal Revenue Code (“Code”), and with relevant tax laws and regulations restricting the use of the Funds as outlined in the grant agreement? In summary, this is to confirm that the funds were used in alignment with the WMF mission and for charitable/nonprofit/educational purposes.

Yes

24. If you have additional recommendations or reflections that don’t fit into the above sections, please write them here.