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Wikimedia UG Nigeria

Pushing for Open Knowledge
Wikimedia User Group Nigeria

Nigeria
Location Nigeria
Country codeNG
Approval date28 September 2015
Official language(s)English, Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba
Other language(s)
WebsiteWikimedia.org.ng
Chapters (37)
Thematic organizations (2)
Wikimedia user groups (153)

Background

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History

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Wikimedia Team in a group photograph with Nigeria Senate during a courtesy visit

The Wikimedia User Group Nigeria was recognized by the Affiliations Committee of the Wikimedia Foundation on the 28th September 2015. Our first activity as a recognized affiliate was the Wiki Loves Africa 2015 tagged Africa's Culture in fashion and Adornment. This was followed by the Workshop for Students of Fountain University, a two-day workshop organized for students of Fountain University, as part of Wikipedia 15. Having operated as a Wikimedia User Group Nigeria for more than 6 years, the user group registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, Nigeria as a charitable organization and nonprofit organization in Nigeria on the 31st of October 2018. We are proposing to be recognized as a Wikimedia Chapter in Nigeria. Our proposed name is Wikimedia Nigeria. The Wikimedia User Group Nigeria shall act as the official chapter of the Wikimedia Foundation in Nigeria. Our primary objective is to promote free access to knowledge through Wikipedia and other sisters projects run by the Wikimedia Foundation. We are committed to the development, growth and free distribution of educational contents in Nigeria. We empower people to contribute to Wikipedia and other sister projects to ensure that knowledge is freely accessible . We share the ideal of a world in which every single human being can freely share in the sum of all knowledge, and here in Nigeria we shall play a key role in actualization of that vision.

Leadership

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Planning Wikimedia User Group Nigeria Foundation organization chart
Sen. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Chair, Senate Committee on Media & Public Affairs during a meeting with the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria

All corporate powers shall be exercised by or under the authority of, and the business and affairs of the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria shall be managed under the direction of the Board of Trustees either directly or through a written delegation of authority. The authorized number of Trustees of Wikimedia Nigeria shall be at least seven (7). Trustees shall be selected according to the process specified in Article IV, Section 3 of the organization's Bylaws. Each Trustee shall hold office until the expiration of his or her term as specified in Article IV, Section 3 of the Bylaws, or until his or her earlier resignation, removal from office, or death.

The board of trustees of the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria is currently composed of three (3) Community-selected Trustees and seven (7) board-appointed Trustees.

The Chair, Wikimedia User Group Nigeria during a courtesy visit to the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC)
Planning Wikimedia Nigeria Community-elected trustees
SN Board Member(s) Designation Board appointment Date of appointment Expiration of appointment
1. Olaniyan Olushola Chair Community-Appointed 31st September 2021 30th September 2024
2. Olatunde Isaac Secretary Community-Appointed 31st September 2021 30th September 2024
3. Kayode Yussuf Communication Community-Appointed 31st September 2021 30th September 2024
Planning Wikimedia Nigeria Board-appointed trustees
1. Bolaji Alabi Vice-chair Board-Appointed 31st May 2019 30th May 2022
2. Dr. Elekofehinti Olushola Board Treasurer Board-Appointed 31st May 2019 30th May 2022
3. Barrister Fatai Erewunmi Board legal adviser Board-Appointed 31st May 2019 30th May 2022
4. Engr. Jide Adenekan (Ph.D) Board member Board-Appointed 31st May 2019 30th May 2022
5. Tosin Ogunwa Board member Board-Appointed 31st May 2019 30th May 2022
6. Runcie C.M Chidebe Board member Board-Appointed 31st May 2019 30th May 2022
7. Livingstone Imonitie Board member Board-Appointed 31st May 2021 30th May 2022

Key Programs and Activities

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Advocacy

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The Wikimedia User Group Nigeria has been involved in several advocacy programs to promote Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects in Nigeria and to bridge the gender gap on the internet. These advocacy programs have not only improved the use of Wikipedia in Nigeria but has led to an increase in the number of contributors to Wikipedia and other sister's project.

Wikipedia – Emmanuella goes to school
Wikipedia – Things come together

New Readers Awareness Campaign In 2017, Wikimedia User Group Nigeria collaborated with the Wikimedia Foundation to launch a major Wikipedia awareness campaign in Nigeria. To support the awareness work in Nigeria, we collaborated with an organization called Anakle. Anakle specializes in video production, digital design, and marketing, with an office in Lagos. They provided creative development for this project, offered experienced perspectives on how to appeal to our target audience and how to produce appealing video content. They collaborated with us on channel approaches, developing a strategic overview of digital media platforms where we can share videos to reach people who are unfamiliar with Wikipedia. Anakle led all video production in the project. We selected scripts based on "Okonkwo" character from Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart, and "Emmanuella" – a prominent Nigerian web comedian. Two videos were released in October 2017, receiving over 10 million combined views. This advocacy work earned the team the 2018 African Excellence Awards, and the award ceremony took place in Dublin, Ireland.

WikiForHumanRights on Human Trafficking in Nigeria
Capacity building workshop for Wikipedians in Nigeria as part of WikiForHumanRights event on Human Trafficking in Nigeria

The WikiForHumanRights on Human Trafficking in Nigeria was organised from the 5th March 2022 to 15th of April 2022. A 2-days event was organised in partnership with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Action Against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (A-TIPSOM) Nigeria, Nigeria Police Force, Yoruba Wikimedians User Group, Igbo Wikimedians User Group, Hausa Wikimedians User Group, and the Nigeria Immigration Service. It was held at IBIS Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos State from 29th of March to 30th of March 2022. There were representatives from of the partners. More than 50 people participated in the event, and more than 40 communities participated in the event. More than 100 articles were contributed to the English, Yoruba, and Hausa language Wikipedia and the event was broadcasted nationally by the Nigerian Television Authority. It was the first time the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria will be collaborating with law enforcement agencies to bridge contents gap on the internet (and specifically on Wikipedia). Participants were selected from all the six geopolitical states of Nigeria. The project was supported by the European Union. Alex Stinson, Senior Program Strategist, Wikimedia Foundation attended as a special guests, and joined the participants online.

Closing the Internet Gender Gap Project in Collaboration with the French Embassy, Abuja

As part of the International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrations, the French Embassy in Nigeria and the French Institute in Nigeria collaborated with the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria (WUGN) and its Abuja Network to organize the Wiki Gap event. The primary focus of this event was to address the internet gender gap, specifically targeting Nigerian women in STEM, in line with the overarching theme of the IWD celebration.

Structured as a Wikipedia Training and Edit-a-Thon, it aimed to introduce participants to the Wikimedia community, with an emphasis on editing techniques. The Wiki Gap edit-a-thon encouraged remote contributions to profiles and articles about notable Nigerian women, especially in STEM. The event supported the theme of International Women’s Day, 'DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality,' and aligned with UN SDGs, particularly SDGs 5, 8, 10, and 17.

The collaboration involved key figures from the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria and the French Institute, enhancing visibility through live streaming and social media promotion. The project achieved its goals, with 27 participants, including new and experienced editors, contributing to the digital visibility of Nigerian women in STEM on Wikipedia.

This project facilitated a robust collaboration between the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria Abuja Network and the French Institute in Nigeria, fostering a strong partnership. Notably, two (2) representatives from the Wikimedia Nigeria User Group traveled from Lagos to lead the training and edit-a-thon.

This collaboration was not only significant for the successful execution of the event but also played a crucial role in enhancing its visibility. The cooperative effort was promoted not only within the local community but also globally, emphasizing the Wiki Gap event's goal of increasing digital visibility for women in Nigeria, especially those in STEM fields.

The training and edit-a-thon were broadcasted live on Zoom and YouTube, and extensive promotion was carried out on various social media platforms, strengthening the project's visibility and underscoring the effective collaboration that orchestrated the Wiki Gap event.

Gender-gap initiatives

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Time out with Wikipedia
The media crew on set
Olaniyan Olushola, the presenter on set

Wikimedia User Group Nigeria/Wikimedia Radio and TV Program On the 11th of January 2017, the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria launched an awareness program to promote Wikipedia and other sister projects and to create awareness for Wikimedia activities in Nigeria. We began with a weekly radio program at the Tech Radio. The radio program was birthed by a Wiki Loves Women event in Nigeria. It features live interviews of content partners from Wiki Loves Women and also Wikimedians across the globe. It was live on air between 19:45 to 20:45 h (West Africa Time) every Wednesday.

Wiki Women Radio Program To strengthen our advocacy work, the Wikimedia Nigeria User Group Nigeria partnered with WFM 91.7 FM on 23rd August 2017. The objectives of the partnership included but not limited to creating awareness about Wikimedia projects, increasing content, increasing reach, encouraging donations of women-related content, and increasing the number of women contributors to Wikimedia projects. WFM 91.7 MHz is a Nigerian specialized radio station licensed by Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to broadcast programs that focus primarily on women and their families. It is the first female-oriented radio station in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is headquartered at the Arepo community, Ogun State, South West, Nigeria. This program features notable women in all spheres of life. Notable women who have featured on the program include Chinedum Peace Babalola, a Nigerian Professor of Pharmacy and the Vice-Chancellor of Chrisland University and Lola Akinmade Åkerström, an award-winning Nigerian photographer and travel writer based in Stockholm, Sweden. She is the editor-in-chief for Slow Travel Stockholm.


Wiki Loves Women One of our core advocacy programs that focuses on bridging the gender gap on the internet is the Wiki Loves Women project. It is a project that aims to release and make widely available cultural and educational content on, or related to women, to the general public. The project works with organizations and public institutions to draw their existing information onto Wikipedia, and via this platform be made available to millions of people every day. The Wiki Loves Women project is organized in collaboration with Wiki In Africa and supported by Wikimedia Foundation. In 2016–2017 the project was run in collaboration with the Goethe Institute and was active on the ground in four West African countries: Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Cameroon, and Nigeria. See the project documentation here.

Visibility project The Visibility Project for East Africa is a gender-focus initiative in partnership with the African Women in Media, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to train female journalists in East Africa on the basics of Wikipedia editing and copyrights. It's one of our initiatives to bridge the gender gap on the internet and to recruit female contributors to Wikipedia. More than 200 Journalists from East-Africa were trained on how to contribute to Wikipedia. The project started on the 5th of June 2020 and ended on 6th July 2020. Series of online training was organized and facilitated by the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria, Wikimedia Community User Group Tanzania and the Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda. The logistics support was provided by the African Women in Media, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Media coverages Our advocacy works have earned us significant coverages in multiple national dailies and Television. Below are a few of the coverages of the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria in the media:

Education

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Wikimedia User Group Nigeria presenting an award to the Vice-Chancellor of the Lagos State University
Members of Wikimedia Hub, Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ)

The Wikimedia User Group Nigeria strongly believed that Wikipedia and its sister's projects belong in education. We realized that students constitute the highest users of Wikipedia and resources and this makes it imperative to develop a strategy that targets students' participation in our projects, programs, and activities that promote free knowledge.

Wikimedia UG Nigeria fan clubs

Wikimedia Fan Club in Nigeria The Wikimedia User Group Nigeria designed this program as an outreach program with the aim of taking Wikimedia projects to all the tertiary institutions in Nigeria. The program was originally conceptualized to support the result of the New Readers Outreach Survey conducted in Nigeria in the year 2016 which revealed that only 23% of internet users in Nigeria are aware of Wikipedia. Out of the 23% population that have shown awareness of Wikipedia are the Nigerian students with 43%.

Each club is a registered association in all the designated institutions and they are coordinated by an experienced member of the club appointed by the proposed Wikimedia User Group Nigeria leadership.

Today, we have a Wikimedia Fan Club in at least seven tertiary institutions in Nigeria namely: The Univerity of Ibadan Fan Club, Wikimedia Fan Club, University of Ilorin, Wikimedia Hub, Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Wikimedia Fan Club, Ekiti State University, Wiki Club, Lagos State University (LASU), Wikimedia Fan Club, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta,Wikimedia Hub Enugu domiciled at the University of Nigeria and Wikimedia Fan Club Kwara State University.

The User Group has organized a series of training for students of tertiary institutions in Nigeria, which began in 2016 when the students of Fountain University were trained. Several pieces of training and edit-a-thon have been organized across multiple tertiary institutions including, at the University of Lagos, The University of Ibadan, Ekiti State University, the University of Ilorin, University of Nigeria, Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, University of Nigeria, University of Benin, Kwara State University, Lagos State Polytechnic, to mention a few.

The Wikimedia User Group Nigeria has a strong relationship with the management of some of the major tertiary institutions in Nigeria. On the 22nd of October 2018, the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria presented an award to Professor Olanrewaju Fagbohun, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos for his contribution to open knowledge and education in Nigeria.

Reactivation of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism Hub
Reactivation of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism Hub

In July 2022, the Nigerian Institute of Journalisms Hub was reactivated as a Wikimedia User Group Nigeria Fan Club. An in-person event was held on the 6th of July 2022 to reorganized the club and elect new management of the club. The Wikimedia User Group Nigeria was represented by Kayode Yusuf and election was conducted to appoint the community leaders. Ms. Kemi Makinde was elected as the president of the club. There were discussions on how to grow the community in the fan clubs, the school calendar was reviewed to suit activities of the fan club. Other activities during the event includes socializing, talks and orientation about the expectation of of good fan club leaders.

Photo taken at the Kwasu Wiki Loves Monuments 2022 in Kwara State University

The Kwara State University Fan Club was funded with our microgrant to organize Wiki Loves Monuments in Kwara State, Nigeria. On the 16th of September 2022, members of the Kwara State University Fan Club visited tourist sites of attraction in Kwara State to take images of educationally useful objects as part of the global Wiki Loves Monuments 2022. Some of the important places visited includes The Sobi Hill, the tallest hill and highest natural landscape from which the entire city of Ilorin and its environs can be seen. Others are Crushed Rock Sango: a man-made tourist attraction a few meters away from Sobi hill and Dada pottery Ilorin, the largest concentration of potters in Kwara State. A total of 268 images were contributed to Wikimedia Commons. For more information on the metrics, see the project dashboard

WikiVibrance Campaign in Kwara State University
Photo with the OAP at the Kwasu Radio with the KWASU with local organizers of the Wikibrance 2022

Members of the Kwara State University Fan club participated in WikiVibrance. Events were organized as part of the WikiVibrance Project to train youth on how to contribute to Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects. Two online training were organized for members of the fan clubs to help them build capacity to contribute to the project, and to acquaint them with the project's goals, rules of participations, tools for tracking, among others. A total of 30 members of the fan club joined the training from which a total of 29 people joined the Wikimedia outrach dashboard for tracking. The metrics can be found in the outreach dashboard. The organizers of the event was featured in a youth focused program aired on Kwara State University Radio 103.9 FM where the team talked about their activities and how they are recruiting youth to join Wikimedia projects as contributors to increase the quality of contents relating to the Nigerian Youth.

WikiVibrance 2022 event University of Ibadan Fan Club
WikiVibrance event at the University of Ibadan

On October 14th, the University of Ibadan Fan Club hosted an event as part of the global WikiVibrance campaign to commemorate International Youth Day. The event was held at the University of Ibadan and had 20 participants in attendance. The University of Ilorin organized an online edit-a-thon to commemorate Africa Youth Month 2022. The progran was supported by WikiVibrance and the Africa Knowledge Initiative. The theme of the program was "Breaking the Barriers to Meaningful Youth Participation and Inclusion in Advocacy." A total of 40 people participated in the online edit-a-thon, and 40 articles were created. A total of 82 existing articles were improved as part of the program. The top 10 contributors were rewarded with internet data.

The Lagos State University fan club of the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria was registered as a student club in the university. Two copies of the required documents (which included 6 letters of guarantee from 6 staff advisers, the club's constitution, profiles of the club's executive committee, a statement of purpose, and a letter of application) were presented at the Student's Affairs unit of the institutions in Ojo campus on November 30, 2022.

Adequate follow-up was made, and the approval for registration was granted on December 5, 2022. The approval letter was sent to the WUGN officials, the six staff advisors, and the Excos.

The Lagos State University fan club organized a training and edit-a-thon with the theme "Wiki-Ethnicity and Tribes" to create articles on ethnicity and tribes. Participants were trained prior to the event, and a total of 40 students participated in the training and the edit-a-thon. The training was held on December 10, 2022, and about 20 of the 40 participants were new editors. A contest was also organized on the same theme.

KWASU Fan Club Leads the Way in 21st Century Learning with "Wiki in School Program"
Wiki-in-school at KwasuFanClub

In April 2023, the Kwara State University Fan Club implemented the Wiki-In-School (WIS) program in the campus. The staff advisor of the fan club was one of the academic staff from various universities in Nigeria that participated in the Wiki In School Program and the expectation is that the participants would return to their institutions to adopt students for training on how to contribute to Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects and this students would in turn become a valuable member of the fan club.

In this particular edition of the program, a total of 25 students from various departments at the institution were adopted. In order to evaluate students at the end of the month training program they were assigned articles to work on and their contributions were tracked using the Wikimedia Outreach Dashboard. The students were engaged in a joint review of topics, and marks were awarded based on their different outcomes for articles created or improved. The activities were reported in the Education Newsletter.

GLAM Initiative

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Oral traditions and documentation remains an integral part of the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria's missions and we will continue to implement pragmatic projects and initiatives such as the Nigerian Language Oral History Documentation Project, a project that focus on recording audiovisual of oral history of languages spoken in Nigeria. The documented materials are hosted on Wikimedia Commons, Wikitongues, the United States Library of Congress, and the Internet Archive hosted the materials in perpetuity. We have partnered with government organizations such as National Commission for Museums and Monuments and the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation to support and promote the proper documentation of our heritage sites.

  • Oral history audio-visual used to promote the World Indigenous Day 2021
  • One of the 50 audio-visuals recorded as part of the Nigerian Language Oral History Documentation Project

More than 150 audiovisuals have been created as part of this projects between 2022 to 2024 and these materials have been donated to academic institution as teaching resources. The producer is Tunde Oladimeji, a notable Nigerian documentary filmmaker, actor, director and television presenter, known for pioneering documentary film in indigenous language in Nigeria.

Conferences

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Wiki Indaba Conference 2019
Wikimedia User Group Nigeria representative, Olaniyan Olushola and Katherine Mayer, the ED & CEO, WMF
Cross section of leaders of WoK and Wikimedia UG Nigeria

Members of the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria have participated in several conferences organized by the Wikimedia Foundation and the community. In 2017, the Chair, Wikimedia User Group Nigeria participated in the Wikimedia Conference and the GLAM Conference in Tel Alvi in 2018. Sam Oye represented the group at the Wikimedia Conference in 2018. Our members have participated in several other conferences including, Wikimanina, Wiki Indaba, and the Wiki Education Conferences.

  • WikiMaster Conference, Lagos In January 2018, Wikimedia User Group Nigeria in collaboration with World of Knowledge (WOK) organized a 3-day conference that focused on creating a strong Community of WOK in Nigeria using Wikipedia as a tool. It also served as a platform to create awareness about Wikimedia projects and Wikimaster and Wikimedia User Group Nigeria. The event was held at Goethe Institute in Lagos and was covered by multiple media including BBC pidgin, TV Continental, STV, etc. It was one of the biggest events organized since the establishment of Wikimedia UG Nigeria and World of Knowledge.
  • Wiki Indaba Conference 2019 In 2019, the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria organized WikiIndaba conference 2019. The conference took place in Abuja, Nigeria from 8 to 10 November 2019, funded by the Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) and supported by Google LLC. The conference despite having a reduced number of participants when compares to Wiki Indaba 2018 has the most diverse mix of participants. We had participants from at least 23 countries and female participants constituted more than 40% of the total participants. We also have the participation of WMF staff and other mission-aligned organizations. This diversity made the conference more interesting. We improved the diversity of the conference when compared to the 2016 and 2018 editions. Although WMF ED was not present, we had the participation of the WMF's Chief of Operation (COO) and at least 10 WMF Staff members and the feedback from staff members and project leaders in Africa were impressive.
  • Wiki Indaba 2021 Conference in Rwanda - We participate in the Wiki Indaba 2021 Conference in Rwanda. Four members of our community received the scholarship to participate in the conference in person in Rwanda. We shared our learnings with members of our community who could not join others in Rwanda. We also provided internet data for community members who participated online.
  • Local Wikimania Conference 2022, Nigeria In 2022, we jointly organised a local Wikimania with the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group, the Igbo Wikimedians User Group, and the Hausa Wikimedians User Group. We brought Wikimedians together in Lagos, Nigeria, to create, celebrate, and connect, virtually and with in-person components. It was three days of gathering, discussions, meetups, training, and workshops. to discuss issues, report on new projects and approaches, and exchange ideas. The theme for the 2022 virtual Wikimania was “The Festival Edition.”.
  • Wikimania 2022 In 2022, 7 members of our community attended Wikimania in Singapore. It was the first time Nigeria would have more than 5 representation at Wikimania. Participants were encouraged to share their learning with other members of the community who could not attend the event in Singapore.
  • Wiki Indaba 2023 Conference in Morocco - We participated in the Wiki Indaba 2023 Conference in Morocco, and members of our community received scholarships to participate, and we sponsored at least one member of our community who is our community leader in Abuja to the conference. 

Capacity building

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She Can with ICT
In April 2016, Jack Rabah met Modupe Darabidan, head of business development, at the Mobile West Africa conference in Lagos. They discussed ways to collaborate with them on their project called She Can with ICT. We were introduced to the organization and further discussion on the best model of collaboration was established. We collaborated with them to train women on how to contribute to Wikipedia. The SHE CAN WITH ICT (Sustaining Her Enterprise, Career, and Network with ICT) project was a series of Entrepreneurship and ICT workshops for women currently in or preparing for business and professional careers. The program included the following 4 modules: -Digital Literacy & Advocacy -Entrepreneurship & Job-readiness -Mentorship -Internship and we collaborated with them on the Digital literacy with the overall goal of exposing more women to opportunities which are available to them in the technology sphere and how they how best to harness these available resources. It was a valuable initiative because it not only creates an opportunity for underprivileged women in Nigeria to contribute to Wikipedia but it also addresses the existing gender gap and the underrepresentation of African female editors in our sites.
African Wikimedia Developers Project
In January 2018, the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria partnered with the Open Foundation West Africa Africa Wikimedia Developers Project team to train students on software development. Felix Nartey from OFWA and Alangi Derrick, a software developer, flew to Nigeria to coordinate the project. The aim of the project was to recruit new volunteer developers from the continent, create a community of developers on the African continent, promote African participation in solving technical problems from the larger community, and increase the awareness of volunteer developer opportunities in Africa.
Training by the WMF
In May 2018, Asaf Bartov, Senior Program Officer, Emerging Wikimedia Communities, Wikimedia Foundation visited Nigeria to train members of Wikimedia User Group Nigeria. Series of training was organized in Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Participants were trained on copyright, basics of Wikipedia editing, and how to write an encyclopedic article from a neutral point of view. They were trained on how to use and contribute to Wikidata. Over 50 users including students from our fan clubs participated in the training.
Group photo during the train the trainer program
Training during the train the trainer program in South East Nigeria
Train the Trainers initiative
The Train the Trainers Nigeria (TTTNG) is an initiative of the Wikimedia User group Nigeria to build capacity for leaders of Wikimedia User Group Nigeria Networks and Fan Clubs on how to effectively contribute to Wikimedia projects, how to manage events, build and manage community, recruit and retain existing volunteers, and how to use various tools among other skills. Between 22nd and 23rd of September 2022, experienced members and the leadership of Wikimedia User Group Nigeria organized a workshop in the South East Region of Nigeria to build capacity for members of the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria in the South East of Nigeria. It was the first edition of the Train the Trainer initiative. The workshop targeted participants that met a criteria predetermined by the leadership of the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria. Local travel were provided for everyone and accommodation support were provided for participants who lived outside of Awka, Anambra State. Food and drinks were provided at the venue including dinner for participants who are accommodated in hotels close to the venue. The workshop was held at the Book Foundation of Prof. Kenneth Dike State Central e-Library Awka. A total of 43 applicants completed the registration form from which 21 applicants were selected. 10 people were selected from Anambra state, 7 from Imo State, 2 from Enugu State, 1 from Ebonyi State, and 1 from Abia State.

The sessions focused on the following concepts:

  • Wikipedia: Writing a good Wikipedia article
  • Leadership
  • Exploring Wikisource
  • Contents translation tool
  • Navigating Wikimedia projects- Panel discussion
  • Writing a good project proposal
  • Group activities

Wikimedia User Group Nigeria was represented by Shola Olaniyan, Kayode Yusuf and Ayokanmi Oyeyemi. We evaluated the workshop and a total of 75% of the responded were satisfied with how the project went, and 100% of the respondent agreed that the training met their training objective and expectation.

Wiki-in-School

Eight out of every ten Nigerian lecturers are Wikipedia users who want to learn how to contribute to the platform. And subsequently pass on the experience to their students. Therefore, this program is designed to identify Nigerian lecturers willing to learn about the product and impart knowledge to their students in a classroom setting. The Wiki-in-School program was designed to empower academics with the requisite knowledge to contribute to Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects and pass the knowledge on to their students.

The Wiki-in-school "request for applications" took place and lasted for two weeks. The goal of this program is to teach Nigerian tertiary institution professors about Wikipedia so they can impart 21st century skills to their students.

Wiki in School program Nigeria photo
Wiki in School program Nigeria training session

The Wiki-in-School program was implemented as planned in December 2022. We published a call for participation and received applications from 24 applicants spanning across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. 12 from the southeast, 1 from the south-south, 7 from the southwest, 2 from north central, and 2 from the north west, with 3 professors and 10 Ph.D. holders each.

All of the applicants were given a chance to be interviewed, but only the five best ones were chosen. The selected candidates were invited to Lagos for a three-day training event held at the La Regial Airport Hotel, where they were accommodated as well. Participants were trained on the basis of Wikipedia editing, how to assign topics to their students, and how their works could be assessed. The training sessions were led by experienced members of our community. At the end of the training, the participants shared the strategy they would adopt for the effective implementation of the project in their various academic institutions. They were provided with stipends to support their local travel and a meetup for the participating students.

The participants departed to their various homes on the 28th of January 2023, and mentors were assigned to follow up with them and support their works.

The trained participants are:

  • Ojo J. Osunmuyiwa from Margret Mosunmola College of Health Sciences and Technology, Owo.
  • Engr. Dr. Luqman Kareem Salati from Kaduna Polytechnic
  • Dr. Davinson Chuka Anyogu from the University of Nigeria
  • Mariam T. Gobir from Kwara State University, Malete
  • Prof. Verla Andrew Wirnkor from Imo State University, Owerri. (He later didn't show up.)
Wikimedia UG Nigeria strategic meeting
Wikimedia Nigeria strategic meeting photo

On January 14, 2023, we had our strategic meeting as part of our planning for the 2023–2024 fiscal year. We reviewed our work in the past years, including the challenges, what worked well, what did not work well, and what we would have done better. There were presentations from the various departments and units of our organization. The meeting lasted for 8 hours. There were presentations on the evaluation road map for 2023–2024, including guidelines for finance and projects and program implementation, among other topics. The meeting was attended by the chair, Olaniyan Olushola, the board's secretary, Olatunde Isaac, the executive director, Ms. Omolayo Ogunsiji, the program director, Ayokanmi Oyeyemi, the networks and club manager, Kayode Yusuf, and the program officer, Yinka Maja.

Wikimedia User Group Nigeria Management and Staff Retreat
WUGN 2023 annual staff retreat

In May, the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria conducted its annual Management and Staff Retreat with the primary objective of outlining a clear vision for the goals to be achieved in the current fiscal year. These goals, while ambitious, demand increased commitment and effort from our employees, volunteers, and management.

To enhance the effectiveness of our retreats and training programs, we adopted a coaching approach. During the retreat, our staff had the opportunity to contribute their own ideas and solutions to address specific challenges and objectives. We also shared our vision for the year with the staff and volunteers in attendance, providing compelling reasons for surpassing our previous achievements.

We firmly believe that the productivity and performance of our group are optimized when our employees and volunteers possess a deep understanding of our annual vision, coupled with the motivation to exceed past accomplishments and strive for greater success.

The retreat also served as a platform for us to physically meet our newly recruited staff members and gain insight into their motivations for joining our team. We took the time to review our past activities and engaged in brainstorming sessions to devise effective strategies for running our programs throughout the year.

This retreat spanned three days and featured several experts who shared their expertise in various essential skills required by our staff members. These informative sessions covered critical areas such as human resources and management, accounting and bookkeeping, taxation, social media management, learning and evaluation techniques, office management best practices, as well as workplace health and safety measures, among others.

A dedicated segment of the retreat was focused on training our newly recruited staff in organizational culture, leadership, and ethical values. This module encompassed core principles of leadership and work ethics, ensuring that our new team members are well-aligned with our organizational values and principles.

  • WUGN 2023 annual staff retreat banner
    WUGN 2023 annual staff retreat banner
  • Cross section of participants
    Cross section of participants
  • Engagement with social media experts at the retreat
    Engagement with social media experts at the retreat
  • Session on corporate Governance
    Session on corporate Governance
  • Showcasing 2023-2024 activities roadmap
    Showcasing 2023-2024 activities roadmap
  • Outdoor dinner with participants
    Outdoor dinner with participants

Contents creation: Campaigns, contest and edit-a-thons

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International Museum Day 2022
3 sculptures prizes for top 3 contributors

In commemorating the International Museum Day 2022, the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria partnered with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments to create Wikidata items for some of the museums and monumnets in Nigeria. There were online events to train participants, and in-person event to create contents. The physical event was held at the Nigerian National Museum. More than 20 community members attended the events including the management staff members of the museum. The Museum donated three (3) objects for the top winners of the content creation drive. A total of 67 Wikidata items were created. Although, a total of 99 editors registered to participate.

WikiNipost

The WikiNipost is a project designed by the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria to improve the coverage of the Nigerian Postal Service offices, and notable staff members on Wikimedia projects such as Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons, and Wikipedia. The project was designed in collaboration with the Nigerian Postal Service. 11 staff members of the organization were trained, and this was followed by a local contest, the "WikiNipost Contest" launched on the 1st of June 2022. On the 30th of June 2022, 9 members of the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria network in Abuja were trained on how to participate in the contest. A total of 551 items were created by 43 editors which include the Nipost staffers.

1Lib1RefNG campaign 2022
#1Lib1Ref logo
#1Lib1Ref logo

From the 4th of June to 30th of June 2022, we organized a local contest, 1Lib1RefNG as part of the global #1Lib1Ref global campaign. We encouraged members of the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria to add references to articles where citations are needed and supported 4 funded projects in Kano, Anambra, Enugu and Lagos state University. A total of 44 editors participated and added sources to a total of 197 Wikipedia articles in 3 languages. The top contributors were awarded with branded T-shirts, and other swags.

On the 21st of June 2022, we also had a physical 1lib1ref session at the ICT Laboratory, Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Ogba, Lagos where we hosted 15 participants which included librarians and students.

Wiki Loves Earth 2022

We organized a national contest for Wiki Loves Earth 2022 in Nigeria. It was the fourth time we organized a national contest for the contest. The contest ran from the 1 May to 30 June 2022. A total of 655 images were contributed by professional photographers in our network and other freelancers. There were promotion about the contest on our various social media networks. We earlier planned to partner with the Lagos State government on the project. Were held at least two meetings with the officials of the state from the ministry of environment but we could not proceed with the partnership due to time constraints.

We also supported 4 funded projects in Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Imo Hub, Lagos and University of Nigeria

Wiki Loves Lagos
Meeting with the representative of Lagos state government

Wiki Loves Lagos project page, a project design in partnership with the Lagos State Goverment, Wikimedia User Group Nigeria and Iga Limited to review the heritage cultural law on the one hand and preserve, conserve and promote the cultural heritage sistes of Lagos State on the other hand, showcase their uniqueness and change the perception and break down barriers to their accessibility as tourist sites of attraction. It's an enduring project between the parties with the intention to educate Lagosians, create visibility and preserve the cultural heritage of the state on the internet. The Wiki Love Lagos writing contest recorded 44 participants , over 1.22 articles created and 1.04 Million words added Read more about the project here.

Other activities includes

  • Bulk purchase of souvenirs as gift for routine and special contests
  • Announcement of winners of the 1Lib1Ref contest, and awarding of gift items
  • Meeting with core volunteers and paid staff of the Wikimedians User Group of Nigeria
  • Finalizing the planning for the WPWP Campaign 2022
WPWPNG 2022
WPWPNG 2022 banner

Between 1st of August and the 31st of August 2022, the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria organized a local contest for the global Wikipedia Pages Wanting Photos 2022 for the 3rd year, to add images to Wikipedia articles that are lacking. Series of online training were organized for participants joining the campaign and there were funded activities in Oyo and Ogun State Nigeria. The hashtag for the contest in Nigeria was #WPWPNG. At the end of the campaign, a total of 48 people participated in the campaign, and images were added to 6,045 Wikipedia articles in 14 languages. The top 3 contributors are User:Aderiqueza, User:Obuezie and User:Atibrarian. Other top contributors included User:ISAAC CARES, User:Sowoletoyin, User:Ngostary2k, User:Photizokoncepts, User:Olawunmi Ogunkunle, User:Tesleemah, and User:Adefanike. Prizes in the form of souvenirs and Certificates were awarded to the top contributors. Also on the 6th of August 2022; a virtual training was organized to train Nigeria participants on how to contribute quality and guide them about the contest.

Wiki Loves Africa


The Wiki Loves Africa 2023 in Nigeria started on the 15th of March 2023. The contest was launched during the bi-monthly Naija Office Hour. This year, we collaborated with professional photographers and related organization to ensure that quality images are contributed. We partnered with Retna, a free image library curating images of Africa from Nigeria's most talented creators.

The memorandum of understanding were signed at our office in Lagos. Professional photographers within their network were trained on how to contribute to Wikimedia Commons and participate in Wiki Loves Africa. On April 25th, we collaborated with the Photography Chat Rooms on a photowalk events to take images as part of the contest. A total of 29 people joined the photowalks and this was followed by an image upload session on April 26th.

We also provide funding support for remote events relating to Wiki Loves Africa in Nigeria. The contest was successful as we recorded a total of 3,453 images contributed to Wikimedia Commons by 193 people.

You can take a look at the winning photos from Nigeria here

Panel of Jury for the Wiki Loves Africa 2023
  • Neec Nonsa
    Neec Nonsa
  • Mattew Flames
    Mattew Flames
  • Blaze Itodo
    Blaze Itodo
  • Damilola Ogunsanya
    Damilola Ogunsanya
Wiki Loves Africa Photo Walk with PhotoTreck and LANSPAN
WLA 23 outreach at Badagry

On June 5th, a collaborative effort between our team and partners, Phototreck and LASPPAN, culminated in a Photowalk event in the scenic Badagry region of Lagos. The event saw a remarkable turnout, with 154 professional photographers representing the Lagos State Professional Photographers Association in attendance.

The event commenced with an engaging photowalk in the morning, allowing participants to explore and capture the beauty of the Badagry area through their lenses. Subsequently, an upload session was conducted, where participants could share their captured images. It's worth noting that some attendees required assistance, as not everyone had access to laptops for the uploading process.

This collaborative project fostered valuable relationships with photography groups within Nigeria. Through these partnerships, we aim to develop further and nurture photography communities, encouraging knowledge sharing and the growth of the photography ecosystem in the region. For a more comprehensive understanding of the project and its details, we invite you to explore the following link: [ here.

United Nations Days and other celebrations

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7th Anniversary of the User Group
Meeting with the management of the Nigerian Library

Affiliations committees (Affcom), the committee responsible for recognizing affiliates within the Wikimedia movement, officially recognized Wikimedia User Group Nigeria on the 15th of September 2015 as a User Group. In September 2022, the group celebrated its birthday on social media with massive engagement from friends, partners and community members.

Wiki Naija Independence 2022
Face of Wikipedia Anambra Network on Nigeria Independence
Face of Wikipedia Anambra Network on Nigeria Independence

On October 1, 2022, we organized an online event to mark Nigeria's independence from British rule. The online event was organized on Zoom, and about 47 people participated; the event was broadcast live on our Facebook channel. There was a session dedicated to each participant telling the audience about one unique thing they knew about Nigeria. There was another session dedicated to a performance by a member of our community who played a musical instrument. As part of the celebration, a mini-article writing contest was launched to promote the creation of contents relating to Nigeria's independence and politics. About 30 editors participated in the contest, and a total of 158 new articles were created and 646 existing articles were improved. A total of 2,400 edits were made.

Wikidata 10th Anniversary

On October 29, 2022, we joined the global Wikimedia community to celebrate Wikidata's 10th anniversary. We organized an event in Lagos at the Lagos State Chamber of Commerce Center. A total of 26 community members attended in  person, and the event was streamed live on our social media channels such as Facebook. Some of the activities that took place at the event included but were not limited to cake-cutting, introductions to Wikidata, training, and social events.

Community engagement: Naija Office Hours

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Naija Office Hours

One of the strategic ways we engage with our diverse community members is through the Naija Office Hour. This is a bimonthly event with different themes, and different topics relating to the themes are discussed. 

Naija Office Hour April 2022

The Naija Office Hour: Changes to rapid grant, and #WikiUnseen was held on the 23rd of April 2022 to review and discuss the new changes to the WMF'S rapid grant and a new project called the #WikiUseen. Veronica Thamaini, Senior Program Officer, Community Resources Wikimedia Foundation was invited as a special guest to discuss the new changes with our community, and Sherry Anthoine, the executive director of AfroCROWD, was invited as a guest to speak about the #WikiUnseen. A total of 72 community members registered for the event from which 39 people attended. You can learn more about the page here.

The August 2022 edition of the Naija office hours happened on the 22nd of August and featured Veronica Thamaini, Senior Program Officer, Wikimedia Foundation and was moderated by Kayode Yussuf. The edition focused on a presentation by the guest on various Wikimedia Foundation grants and tips about the expectations of the Foundation from the grantees on how to access the funding, report writing, and support; 75 Plus participants took place in the session. You can learn more about the program here

Naija Office Hours- October 2022 edition banner

The Naija Office Hour: Let's Talk Collaboration Edition was held on August 22, 2022. It featured Carolyn Seaman, from "Girl Voices," and founder of the "Women's International Film Festival of Nigeria (WIFFEN)." It also featured Rudolph Ampofo, the Partnership Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, and Tochi Precious, the Wikimedian in Residence at theMoleskine Foundation as well as Michelle van Gilder, the founder of "The Africa Narrative and interim executive director. The aim of the Naija Office Hour edition was to learn from experienced program and partnership managers on how to build and sustain collaborations, key elements of collaborations, and the importance of collaboration. A total of 187 community members registered for the event, and more than 100 people attended. The event was held on Zoom and recorded. You can learn more about the page here. A survey was designed and shared with the participants in order to evaluate the impact of that edition and use the learnings to improve on the December 2022 edition.

On the 10th of December 2022, during the Wiki-Ethnicity and Tribe edit-a-thon, members of the fan club joined the "Naija Office Hours" special edition with the CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation, Maryanna Iskander.

Naija Office hour- May 2023 edition

The Naija Office Hour was held on Zoom on May 13, 2023. The theme for the Naija Office Hour was "Accelerating the Development of Emerging Communities." Maggie Dennis, the Vice President, Community Resilience and Sustainability at the Wikimedia Foundation, was the guest speaker. She gave an overview of her role as Vice President, Community Resilience and Sustainability, and the departments under her supervision, including the Trust and Safety Department.

Community members had the opportunity to directly ask questions that affected their activities in their various communities, particularly the IP Block. She responded and explained why the global proxy IP block policy was in place and what the WMF was doing to provide long-lasting solutions to the problems. She talked about community health generally and behaviors that may result in a global ban from the WMF was also highlighted by her. A total of 181 people participated in the discussion.

The Naija Office Hours July 2023 edition, held on July 15, 2023, focused on upskilling youth for innovation and technological development. The event featured three knowledgeable speakers and engaged 88 participants, who explored topics such as job skills, entrepreneurship, and technology. Participants provided positive feedback through survey forms, and data reimbursement was offered. Detailed report and learning evaluations

Funding support for community members

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The Wikimedia User Group Nigeria community Support Grant is a program designed by Wikimedia User Group Nigeria to support Nigerian mission-aligned organisations, individual members of the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria, fan clubs, organised group contributing to any Wikimedia projects such as Wikipedia, Wikidata or Wikimedia Commons with a budget of NGN 50,000 up to NGN 200,000. The design prototype was presented to the executive members for review, and final version was published on the 14th of April 2022, and test-run on the 22nd April 2022. The Community Support Fund Committee was constituted on the 23rd of April 2022, and on boarding meeting was held on zoom on the 28th of April 2022. The committee members selected are User:Gwanki, User:Agbalagba, User:Ugwulebo, User:Iwuala Lucy,and User:RukayatAjeigbe.

In June 2022, the grant team at Wikimedians User Group Nigeria received a total of 19 grants application, but 6 applications were funded. The funded applications are listed below :

The funded application was received from the South-West, South-East, and North-East regions of Nigeria. In September 2022, a total of 12 applications were submitted and a total of 6 applications were approved to support various programs in at least 3 geopolitical zones of Nigeria. About 60% of the project funded primarily focused on Wikidata, two of the project focused on Yoruba Wikipedia, and Hausa language Wikipedia respectfully. As of September, over 30 application were funded by the group. The project funded includes the following:

We made a blog post about Wikimedia User Group Nigeria Community Support Fund on Wikimedia Diff to share our experience with the global community and show the distribution of the funding across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

WikiNaija Independence 2022 screenshot

In October 2022, a total of 8 grant applications were received, and a total of 3 applications were approved to support activities in Wiki Club, Lagos State University (LASU), Wikimedia Anambra Network, and an initiative called "Wiki Kopas that focuses on introducing Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects to new batches of Corp members in Osun State of Nigeria. The funded projects are listed below;

In November 2022, we received a total of 8 applications, of which 2 were approved for funding, 5 were declined, and 1 was marked ineligible. The approved projects are listed below.

In May 2023, the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria restructured its Community Support Grant to better support the Wikimedia Community in Nigeria. A long-time volunteer member of the Community Support Grant Committee, Ashioma Medi, was hired as a program officer for the Community Support Grant program following an open call for applications for the position. It was an exciting atmosphere for the Wikimedia community in Nigeria to have a volunteer hired for a paid role for which he had volunteered. Medi would be supported by Ayokanmi Oyeyemi, Wikimedia Nigeria's program Director. The program, along with other programs, could now be effectively evaluated as Tola Aborishad was hired as Wikimedia User Group Nigeria's Monitoring, Leaning, and Evaluation Programme Officer. A new member, User:Marvelousola01, joined the Community Support Grant Committee as well.

In May 2023, a total of 14 grant application was submitted for the Wikimedia UG Nigeria community support grant, and a total of 11 application which constitute approximately 64% was funded. The application funded are listed below

In June 2023, the Wikimedia UG Nigeria Community Support Grant received nineteen(19) proposals from across the six geopolitical zones in the country. These proposals represented the collective dreams of community members who aspired to make a difference in their regions. What made this wave of enthusiasm even more impressive was the fact that it spanned thirteen different states and six distinct geopolitical zones in Nigeria. Clearly, this was a testament to the growing impact of the Wikimedia movement in the country.

A closer look revealed an even more astonishing achievement. This grant cycle was a significant leap from the previous one, which had seen proposals from only six states and four geopolitical zones. The expansion was a beacon of progress, showcasing the growing reach and influence of the Wikimedia community in Nigeria. The proposals received under this grant cycle were as diverse as the communities they represented. They came from passionate individuals and well-organized networks and clubs, each with a unique vision for enhancing knowledge sharing and digital literacy. It was a true reflection of the rich tapestry of ideas that thrived within the Nigerian Wikimedia community.

After days of meticulous scrutiny and three hours of extensive deliberations on the 22nd of June, 2023, the dedicated members of the Grant Committee made their decisions. Fifteen projects emerged as winners, meeting every criterion for this grant cycle. These projects embodied the spirit of community engagement, education, and content creation that the Wikimedia movement cherished.

Here's a glimpse of the geographical distribution of the winning projects:

Geographical represenation of the funded grants
Location Number of funded applications
South East 1
South-South 2
South West 6
North Central 1
North West 1
North East 4

What was even more heartening to see was the balanced gender representation among the project leaders. Out of the fifteen winning projects, ten were led by inspiring women, demonstrating the inclusive and diverse nature of the Wikimedia movement. In terms of Wikimedia projects, the winning proposals spanned various platforms, with the projects distributed as follows:

  • Wikimedia Commons: 6
  • English Wikipedia: 5
  • Hausa Wikipedia: 2
  • Wikidata: 1
  • Wikiquote: 1

As the WUGN Community Support Grant continued to evolve, it fueled the Wikimedia movement in Nigeria and exemplified the power of community-driven initiatives. The projects from these grants would undoubtedly contribute to a richer, more diverse, and more accessible body of knowledge for everyone. The growth was a testament to the endless possibilities when passionate individuals and communities unite to make a change, one project at a time. The story of the WUGN Community Support Grant was, and would continue to be, a tale of progress, inclusivity, and the boundless potential of the Wikimedia community in Nigeria. You can read more about the initiative here

Relationship with Other Groups

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Olaniyan Olushola, the Chair of the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria facilitating the Wikipedia Workshop, Kano organized by the Hausa Wikimedians User Group in 2018
Follow up training for the Yoruba language students of Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education

The Wikimedia User Group Nigeria has a good relationship with all the affiliates whose scope overlaps with our group, especially the other three user groups in Nigeria. We have collaborated on several occasions as a more established organization provided training support to all the other user groups in Nigeria. The Yoruba Wikimedians User Group in February 2020 invited us to help support the Follow-up training for Yoruba language students of Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education. The Chair and the Secretary of the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria participated in the event and it was successfully executed. In 2018, the Hausa Wikimedians User Group invited the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria to help with facilitating their Outreach in Northern Nigeria. The workshop in Kano was supported and facilitated by the Chair, Wikimedia User Group Nigeria.

The WikiGap 2018, 2019, and 2020 were organized in collaboration with the Igbo Wikimedians User Group. In April 2020, the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria participated in Visibility Project, in collaboration with the African Women in Media and sponsored by the UNESCO. The Igbo Wikimedian User Group was represented by Uzoma Ozurumba, the Co-founder of the Igbo Wikimedians User group. She was a facilitator and actively participated in the mentorship program.

On the same project, we also collaborated with the Wikimedia Community User Group Tanzania and the Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda.

The Wikimedia User Group Nigeria, Yoruba Wikimedians User Group, Igbo Wikimedians User Group, and the Hausa Wikimedians User Group worked collaboratively on a project called Decolonizing the internet organized by the Goethe-Institut.

Wikimedia User Group Nigeria has also collaborated with Afrocrowd, Oregon State University, US and Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta organized an edithathon as part of the Black History Month to celebrate Black People. Over 30 editors participated in the 2day editathon. 5 new articles were also created with over 6.02K words added to Wikipedia see more details here

Diversity of Activities

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In the last four years, the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria has organized or directly involved in organizing a variety of different pragmatic programs and events. These activities have helped to promote the Wikimedia movements in Nigeria and has led to the establishment of other language-focused user groups. It has improved the number of readership and the number of unique active contributors to Wikipedia.

See Key Programs and Activities

Planning and Evaluation

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  1. Oral History Documentation Grant Proposal
  2. Wikipedia Pages Wanting Photos Evaluation Report 2020
  3. WikiGap Nigeria Online Challenge 2021 Evaluation report
  4. Decolonise the Internet Evaluation Report
  5. Wikimedia Movement Strategy Recommendation & Prioritization Report
  6. WikiIndaba Conference 2019 Evaluation and Report

External Partnerships

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The Wikimedia User Group Nigeria has engaged in programmatic partnerships with external groups and organizations (for example, cultural, academic, or government institutions, and so on) to promote the Wikimedia movement in Nigeria. These partnerships have not only resulted in promoting Wikimedia projects in Nigeria but has led to the growth of the Wikimedia community in Nigeria with significant impact on Wikimedia projects. In 2016, we partnered with the following organization to advance the Wikimedia movement in Nigeria and promote the growth and development of Wikimedia projects.

Wikimedia UG Nigeria external partnerships
SN Partners Project Year
1. Centre for Children's Health Education, Orientation and Protection Wiki Loves Women 2016
2. Arise Nigerian Women Foundation Wiki Loves Women 2016
3. Women of Rubies Wiki Loves Women 2016
4. Project Pink Blue Wiki Loves Women 2016
5. Bestspring Foundation Wiki Loves Women 2016
6. Goethe-Institut Nigeria Wiki Loves Women 2016
7. Women in TECH ( WTECH) Wiki Loves Women 2016
8. British Broadcasting Corporation Wiki Loves Women 2016
9. She Writes Women- Wiki Loves Women 2017
10. Black Face Radio Wiki Loves Women Radio Program 2017
11. Small Scale Women Farmers Organization in Nigeria Wiki Loves Women 2017
12. Media Concern Initiative Wiki Loves Women 2017
13. Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation ( NTDC) GLAM 2018
14 Swedish Embassy WikiGap 2018
15. PlusTV Africa Official broadcasting partner for, Wiki Loves Earth 2019 and Wiki indaba 2019
16. Women FM 91.7 Official broadcasting partner for, Wiki Loves Women and Wiki indaba 2018
17. The University of Ilorin Institutional partner for Wiki-Fan Club 2019
18. The University of Ibadan Institutional partner for Wiki-Fan Club 2019
19. Lagos State University Institutional partner for Wiki-fan club 2019
20. Ekiti State University Institutional partner for Wiki-Fan Club 2019
21. The Federal University of Agriculture Institutional partner for Wiki-Fan Club 2019
22. Oyo State Chapter of Librarian Institutional partner for Wiki-Fan Club 2019
23. Wiki in Africa Institutional partner for Wiki-Fan Club 2019
24. Women in Red Technical Partner for Women Visibility 2019
25. Eloy Awards and Exquisite Magazine Technical/Outreach Partner for International Women’s Day 2019 2020
26. Swedish Embassy Funder and Technical/Outreach Partner for International Women’s Day and WikiGap 2020
27. Cee-Hope, Lagos Local Technical Partner for the hosting of Wiki Loves Women in Nigeria 2020
28. Goethe Institute Local Technical/financial partner for the hosting of the Decolonize the Internet in Nigeria 2020
29. African Women on Board International Women's Day 2021
30. African Women in Media International Women's Day 2021
31. Swedish Embassy International Women's Day 2021
32. Wiki in Africa Wiki Photo Talk 2021
32. Wiki Tongue Nigerian Language Documentation Project 2021
33. National Broadcasts Academy Addressing Systemic bias against Nigeria Radio stations on Wikipedia-Event 2021
34. Capital TV Nigeria Language Documentation Project 2023
35. Photograpghic Chat Room International (PCRIC) Wiki Loves Events 2023
36. Retnal Photography Wiki Loves Events 2023
37. National Women Journalist-Lagos Chapter International Women's Day 2024
  • Selected event photos
  • Launch of Wiki Loves Women in Lagos
    Launch of Wiki Loves Women in Lagos
  • Launch of Wiki Loves Women in Lagos
    Launch of Wiki Loves Women in Lagos
  • Launch of Wiki Loves Women in Lagos
    Launch of Wiki Loves Women in Lagos
  • Launch of Wiki Loves Women in Lagos
    Launch of Wiki Loves Women in Lagos
  • Launch of Wiki Loves Women in Lagos
    Launch of Wiki Loves Women in Lagos
  • Launch of Wiki Loves Women in Lagos
    Launch of Wiki Loves Women in Lagos
  • Women in Agriculture
    Women in Agriculture
  • Women in Agriculture
    Women in Agriculture
  • Women in Agriculture
    Women in Agriculture
  • Women in Agriculture
    Women in Agriculture
  • Women in Agriculture
    Women in Agriculture
  • Women in Agriculture
    Women in Agriculture
  • Women in Agriculture
    Women in Agriculture
  • Women in Agriculture
    Women in Agriculture
  • Women in Agriculture
    Women in Agriculture
  • Women in Agriculture
    Women in Agriculture
  • Women in Agriculture
    Women in Agriculture
  • Women in Agriculture
    Women in Agriculture
  • Women in Agriculture
    Women in Agriculture
  • Image for Wiki Loves Women in Nigeria
    Image for Wiki Loves Women in Nigeria
  • Wiki Loves Women workshop with TECHHER in Abuja Nigeria
    Wiki Loves Women workshop with TECHHER in Abuja Nigeria
  • Wiki Loves Women workshop with TECHHER in Abuja Nigeria
    Wiki Loves Women workshop with TECHHER in Abuja Nigeria
  • Wiki Loves Women workshop with TECHHER in Abuja Nigeria
    Wiki Loves Women workshop with TECHHER in Abuja Nigeria
  • Wiki Loves Women workshop with TECHHER in Abuja Nigeria
    Wiki Loves Women workshop with TECHHER in Abuja Nigeria
  • Wiki Loves Women workshop with TECHHER in Abuja Nigeria
    Wiki Loves Women workshop with TECHHER in Abuja Nigeria
  • Wiki Loves Women workshop with TECHHER in Abuja Nigeria
    Wiki Loves Women workshop with TECHHER in Abuja Nigeria
  • Wiki Loves Women workshop with TECHHER in Abuja Nigeria
    Wiki Loves Women workshop with TECHHER in Abuja Nigeria
  • Wiki Loves Women workshop with TECHHER in Abuja Nigeria
    Wiki Loves Women workshop with TECHHER in Abuja Nigeria
  • WIki Loves Women Event; Women in Society Promotng SDG in Nigeria
    WIki Loves Women Event; Women in Society Promotng SDG in Nigeria
  • WIki Loves Women Event; Women in Society Promotng SDG in Nigeria
    WIki Loves Women Event; Women in Society Promotng SDG in Nigeria
  • WIki Loves Women Event Women In Social Services- Promoting SDG in Nigeria
    WIki Loves Women Event Women In Social Services- Promoting SDG in Nigeria
  • WIki Loves Women Event Women In Social Services- Promoting SDG in Nigeria
    WIki Loves Women Event Women In Social Services- Promoting SDG in Nigeria
  • WIki Loves Women Event Women In Social Services- Promoting SDG in Nigeria
    WIki Loves Women Event Women In Social Services- Promoting SDG in Nigeria
  • WIki Loves Women Event Women In Social Services- Promoting SDG in Nigeria
    WIki Loves Women Event Women In Social Services- Promoting SDG in Nigeria
  • WIki Loves Women Event Women In Social Services- Promoting SDG in Nigeria
    WIki Loves Women Event Women In Social Services- Promoting SDG in Nigeria
  • WIki Loves Women Event Women In Social Services- Promoting SDG in Nigeria
    WIki Loves Women Event Women In Social Services- Promoting SDG in Nigeria
  • WIki Loves Women Event Women In Social Services- Promoting SDG in Nigeria
    WIki Loves Women Event Women In Social Services- Promoting SDG in Nigeria
  • WIki Loves Women Event Women In Social Services- Promoting SDG in Nigeria
    WIki Loves Women Event Women In Social Services- Promoting SDG in Nigeria
  • WIki Loves Women Event Women In Social Services- Promoting SDG in Nigeria
    WIki Loves Women Event Women In Social Services- Promoting SDG in Nigeria
  • WIki Loves Women Event Women In Social Services- Promoting SDG in Nigeria
    WIki Loves Women Event Women In Social Services- Promoting SDG in Nigeria
  • Women Inspired Health and Community 2016
    Women Inspired Health and Community 2016
  • Wiki Indaba 2019
    Wiki Indaba 2019
  • Wiki Indaba 2019
    Wiki Indaba 2019
  • Wiki Indaba 2019
    Wiki Indaba 2019
  • Wiki Indaba 2019
    Wiki Indaba 2019
  • Wiki Indaba 2019
    Wiki Indaba 2019
  • Wiki Indaba 2019
    Wiki Indaba 2019
  • Wiki Indaba 2019
    Wiki Indaba 2019

Aligned Mission

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The Wikimedia User Group Nigeria is a nonprofit organization committed to promoting free access to knowledge via Wikipedia and other sister projects in Nigeria. We empower people to contribute to Wikipedia and other sisters' projects to ensure that knowledge is freely accessible. We share the ideals of a world in which every single human being can freely share in the pool of all knowledge.

Objectives

The objectives of the Nigerian Wikimedia User Group are to:

  1. increase the quality and quantity of Nigeria related topics that are currently underrepresented on Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects such as wiki commons, meta wiki, wiki source and others.
  2. support the creation and development of free educational materials, which are accessible through Wikimedia projects for Nigerians
  3. Partner with  education-based organizations in Nigeria, as well as the government agencies to create free educational contents, and materials for use.
  4. support the mission of the Wikimedia Foundation; and
  5. support the use of Wikimedia projects as important tools for education and learning in Nigeria

Our Vision

Wikimedia Nigeria is committed to the ideal of a world in which every single human being can freely share in the sum of all knowledge and we believe that free access to knowledge is a fundamental right.

Our Mission

Our mission is to support and promote free access to knowledge, work with volunteers across the country, partner with governmental and non-governmental organizations, cultural and educational sectors and other mission-aligned groups to make knowledge available for free access.

Our Core values

  1. Honesty
  2. Integrity
  3. Accuracy
  4. Accessibility
  5. Transparency
  6. Freedom
  7. Diversity
  8. Independence
  9. Quality
  10. Openness

Our Proposed Operating principles

Our operating principles are based on our values, as follows:

  1. We shall promote the values inherent in the concept of open knowledge
  2. We shall recognize transparency as a key factor in every growth and development
  3. We are committed to the ideal of free access to knowledge
  4. We shall ensure that contents released for educational purpose are with the high level of accuracy
  5. We shall promote the use of licenses, formats, and sources that support open knowledge
  6. We shall be committed to promoting the provision of high-quality open knowledge to everyone
  7. We shall recognize that the contribution of volunteers is central to our activities, growth, and development.
  8. We shall be committed to encouraging, involving and engaging members of our community
  9. We shall learn from and openly share our learning with the global Wikimedia movement
  10. We shall be transparent in our operations
  11. We shall support, encourage and promote diversity within our community
  12. We hope to become an independent Nigeria not-for-profit organization that engages actively with the global movement

Geographic Focus (Chapters) / Thematic Focus (Thematic Organizations)

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The Wikimedia User Group Nigeria operates in Nigeria. Currently, there are three language-focused user groups in Nigeria and we have a good working relationship with all the user groups in Nigeria. See the section on the Relationship with Other Groups

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Wikimedia User Group Nigeria is incorporated as a charitable organization in Nigeria. Our certificate of incorporation can be found here.

Wikimedia UG Nigeria Community-elected trustees
SN Board Member(s) Designation Board appointment Date of appointment Expiration of appointment
1. Olaniyan Olushola Chair Community-Appointed 5th September 2019 4th October 2021
2. Olatunde Isaac Secretary Community-Appointed 5th September 2019 4th October 2021
3. Kayode Yusuf Communication Community-Appointed 5th September 2019 4th October 2021
Wikimedia UG Nigeria Board-appointed trustees
1. Bolaji Alabi Vice-chair Board-Appointed 19th October 2019 18th October 2021
2. Dr. Elekofehinti Olushola Board Treasurer Board-Appointed 19th October 2019 18th October 2021
3. Barrister Fatai Erewunmi Board legal adviser Board-Appointed 19th October 2019 18th October 2021
4. Engr. Jide Adenekan (Ph.D) Board member Board-Appointed 19th October 2019 18th October 2021
5. Tosin Ogunwa Board member Board-Appointed 19th October 2019 18th October 2021
6. Runcie C.M Chidebe Board member Board-Appointed 19th October 2019 18th October 2021
7. Livingstone Imonitie Board member Board-Appointed 19th October 2019 18th October 2021

Open Governance

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This page provides information about the Wikimedia UG Nigeria. Minutes are provided to increase transparency of the work of the Foundation.
Official meeting minutes of the Wikimedia UG Nigeria is at: Minutes

2019

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2020

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Active Contributor Involvement

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See Membership for more information

Active Contributors involvement
  1. Olaniyan Olushola
  2. T Cells
  3. Jamie Tubers
  4. Kaizenify
  5. Agbalagba
  6. Livingstone Imonitie
  7. Lordgentual
  8. Mahveotm
  9. Ashioma Medi
  10. Alaafiabami Oladipupo
  11. Ammarpad
  12. Biggiepopa
  13. Timmylegend
  14. Bilijin
  15. HandsomeBoy
  16. Preciousayara
  17. Kenogenic
  18. Sowoletoyin
  19. Carolynseaman
  20. Macdanpets
  21. Oby Ezeilo
  22. User:Adefanike
  23. El-hussain14
  24. Kayode Yusuf
  25. Wikinaija
  26. Kabusa16
  27. Abubakar A Gwanki
  28. Mutiat Mustapha
  29. Anasskoko
  30. Ptinphusmia
  31. James Moore200
  32. M-Mustapha
  33. Godstime Elijah
  34. Dike Chukwuma
  35. Smshika

Capacity

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This section provides details about cash and other assets owned by the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria

Assets Amount Remarks
Cash NGN 200,000 We are not-for-profit and do not generate revenue but we sometimes received donations in-kind. We hope to constitutes a local fundraising team in the 2021-2022 fiscal year to support our volunteers
Laptops 2 We received two used laptops donations to support our work
Mini-printer 1 The purchase was funded by the WMF in 2018. So, we currently have one mini-printer
Manpower 20 We have at least 20 highly skilled personnel who have capacity to manage any type of WMF aligned projects

Active Contributor Involvement

We currently have more than 200 active members of our communities. See Membership for more information.

  1. Olaniyan Olushola
  2. T Cells
  3. Jamie Tubers
  4. Kaizenify
  5. Agbalagba
  6. Livingstone Imonitie
  7. Lordgentual
  8. Mahveotm
  9. Ashioma Medi
  10. Alaafiabami Oladipupo
  11. Ammarpad
  12. Biggiepopa
  13. Timmylegend
  14. Bilijin
  15. HandsomeBoy
  16. Preciousayara
  17. Kenogenic
  18. Sowoletoyin
  19. Carolynseaman
  20. Macdanpets
  21. Oby Ezeilo
  22. OtuNwachinere
  23. Atibrarian
  24. User:Adefanike
  25. Kayode Yussuf
  26. Wikinaija
  27. Kabusa16
  28. Abubakar A Gwanki
  29. Mutiat Mustapha
  30. Anasskoko
  31. Ptinphusmia
  32. James Moore200
  33. M-Mustapha
  34. Bukky658
  35. Omorodion1
  36. Godstime Elijah
  37. Abubakar Yusuf Gusau
  38. Mercyjamb123
  39. Ei'eke
  40. Ogundele1
  41. Iwuala Lucy
  42. El-hussain14
  43. Zend2020
  44. Ogalihillary

Resolution

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