Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Improving Biographical Coverage of Under-Documented Nigerians (ID: 23746197)
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Applicant Details
[edit]- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
Idoghor Melody
- Organization
N/A
- If you are a group or organization leader, board member, president, executive director, or staff member at any Wikimedia group, affiliate, or Wikimedia Foundation, you are required to self-identify and present all roles. (required)
N/A
- Describe all relevant roles with the name of the group or organization and description of the role. (required)
Main Proposal
[edit]- 1. Please state the title of your proposal. This will also be the Meta-Wiki page title.
Improving Biographical Coverage of Under-Documented Nigerians
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2026-04-06 - 2026-07-06
- 4. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required)
Nigeria
- 5. Are your activities part of a Wikimedia movement campaign, project, or event? If so, please select the relevant project or campaign. (required)
Other (please specify) This project supports the Movement Strategy Goal 2030, particularly the initiative focused on advancing knowledge equity and inclusivity.
- 6. What is the change you are trying to bring? What are the main challenges or problems you are trying to solve? Describe this change or challenges, as well as main approaches to achieve it. (required)
Biographical coverage of Nigerians on English Wikipedia remains shallow in many cases, with numerous articles still at stub level and in need of meaningful improvement. While many notable Nigerians already have articles, a significant number of these biographies contain only a few sentences, limited context, and weak sourcing. As a result, Nigerian representation on the English Wikipedia often remains superficial, even when coverage technically exists. Stub biographies frequently lack key sections such as early life, career, broader impact amongst other sections. In some cases, they rely on a single source or outdated references, making the articles vulnerable to challenges, reversions, or deletion proposals. For instance, Giuseppe Kirsten, Abubakar Maigari Umar, Nguveren Iyorhe, Owa Ataiyero, Fidelis oga Orgah and Monday Obolo are examples of the problem this project seeks to address. They're either very very short with just one reference or two, or even none at all. For an article like Napoleon Bali, it has only one sentence and it reads “Napoleon Binkap Bali (born 28 November 1963) is a retired Air Vice Marshall (AVM). Plateau South Senatorial District” with this and this as the source. This article could have been written better even with the two sources presently in the article. This problem is especially visible for Nigerians in politics here, academia here, sports here, here, here, here and here, religious leaders here, creative industries here, here and here, and civil society, where notability is clear but documentation is incomplete. These challenges are not caused by a lack of interest from Nigerian editors, but rather by capacity gaps. Many editors are unsure how to systematically expand stub biographies, identify strong secondary sources, or structure biographical content in line with guidelines, particularly Biography of living persons. As a result, editors may avoid improving stub articles altogether, or make partial improvements that do not significantly raise article quality. The impact of this goes beyond individual articles. Shallow biographical coverage reinforces broader systemic bias, where African subjects appear less documented or less significant compared to their counterparts from other regions. Valuable information about notable Nigerians is often missing, underdeveloped, or overlooked, limiting Wikipedia’s role as a truly global and inclusive knowledge resource. While we as editors do not control who is notable, we do control how well notable people are documented. This project responds directly to that responsibility. By focusing on the improvement of existing Nigerian biographical stubs, the initiative aims to strengthen article quality where foundations already exist, rather than dispersing effort across new article creation. Through structured training, mentorship, and guided editing, editors will be equipped with the practical skills needed to move biographies beyond stub level, improving structure, sourcing, neutrality, and depth. In doing so, the project supports not only better content outcomes, but also greater editor confidence and long-term sustainability in biographical improvement work. Ultimately, this initiative seeks to ensure that Nigerians who already have an article on Wikipedia are represented with the depth, accuracy, and reliability that their notability deserves.
- 7. What are the planned activities? (required) Please provide a list of main activities. You can also add a link to the public page for your project where details about your project can be found. Alternatively, you can upload a timeline document. When the activities include partnerships, include details about your partners and planned partnerships.
Below are the key activities of this project:
- Onboarding
- The project will begin with an onboarding session to help participants get settled. Editors will be guided through setting up or updating their Wikimedia accounts, getting comfortable with the editing interface, and understanding basic community norms. This session will also walk participants through the project's goals, timeline, and expectations, so everyone starts on the same page and feels confident about taking part.
- Virtual Training
- A series of virtual training sessions will be held to give participants the practical skills needed to improve biographical stub articles. The sessions will focus on how to move articles beyond stub level, structure biographies properly, and work with reliable source, especially Nigerian sources. Participants will also learn how to write from a neutral point of view and apply Biographies of Living Persons (BLP) policies. The trainings will be interactive, with examples and live demonstrations to support learning.
- Edit-a-thon
- After the training sessions, participants will take part in a one-month virtual edit-a-thon. During this period, they will apply what they have learned by improving existing Nigerian biographical stub articles. A curated list of stub articles will be provided, but participants will also be encouraged to work on topics that match their interests, as long as they meet the project's focus.
- Office Hours and Support
- To support participants during the edit-a-thon, two virtual office hour sessions will be organised. These sessions will give editors a chance to ask questions, discuss challenges, and get feedback on their work. Beyond the scheduled office hours, participants will have access to ongoing support through shared communication channels.
- Review and Certification
- At the end of the project, contributions will be reviewed to ensure articles have been meaningfully improved and follow policies. Outstanding contributions will be recognised with incentives, and all participants who complete the training and actively participate in the edit-a-thon will receive certificates of participation.
These activities combine practical training with hands-on editing, allowing participants to apply what they learn immediately. Ongoing support through office hours helps address challenges early and improves the quality of contributions. By focusing on article improvements rather than one-off edits, the project strengthens both content quality and editor confidence in a sustainable way.
- 8. Describe your team. Please provide their roles, Wikimedia Usernames and other details. (required) Include more details of the team, including their roles, usernames, Wikimedia group, and whether they are salaried, volunteers, consultants/contractors, etc. Team members involved in the grant application need to be aware of their involvement in the project.
Project Lead
- Username: User:Idoghor Melody
- Details: Idoghor Melody is an experienced Nigerian Wikimedian, and a contributor to the English Wikipedia. He holds advanced user rights, including New Page Reviewer, and actively contributes to maintaining content quality and supporting the English Wikipedia community. Has clear track records on English Wikipedia. Has over 38k edits on English Wikipedia. Created over 80 articles on English Wikipedia. More insights at XTools.
- Role: Project lead, trainer, and mentor.
Local Team
- Username: Ojewuyib
- Details: Ojewuyib is a fellow of African Wiki Women and an experienced Wikimedia volunterr. She has over 5 thousand edits across Wikimedia platforms.
- Role: Community Support Officer - Assists participants and supports their engagement during the project.
- Username: Andikan Efiok Eduok
- Details: Andikan is a Nigerian Wikimedian, community, and social media manager, and a Fellow of the Africa Wiki Women Fellowship. She contributes to Wikipedia and its sister projects and is the founder and lead of Wikimedia User Group Nigeria – Akwa Ibom Network. She has held roles in the Wikimedia Niger Delta Network, hosted the Train the Trainers South-South edition in 2024, and participated in Wiki Loves Africa 2025 and the Nigerian Oral History Documentation Project.
- Role: Activities & Logistics Officer - Helps keep project activities on track and organised.
- 9. Who are the target participants and from which community? How will you engage participants before and during the activities? How will you follow up with participants after the activities? (required)
Target Participants and Community
This project will work with Nigerian Wikipedia editors who are interested in improving biographical articles about Nigerians, especially those that currently exist only as stubs. Participants will be drawn from the Nigerian Wikimedia community, including editors active in local user groups, WhatsApp communities, and online editing spaces where Nigerian editors already collaborate and learn from one another. The project will welcome both newer editors who want to build confidence and experienced editors who want to sharpen their skills.
Engagement Before and During Activities
Before the project begins, participants will be engaged through familiar community spaces such as Wikimedia Nigeria channels, social media, and the dedicated WhatsApp group. The project goals, timeline, and expectations will be clearly communicated in simple, relatable terms. During the activities, engagement will be hands-on and supportive, with interactive virtual training sessions, regular check-ins, and open communication channels where participants can ask questions, share challenges, and celebrate progress while working on articles.
Follow-Up After Activities
After the edit-a-thon, participants will be encouraged to remain active within the Nigerian editing community. Follow-up will include continued mentorship, sharing useful resources, and highlighting strong article improvements from the project as examples for others. Participants will also be encouraged to keep improving Nigerian biographical content beyond the project, helping to build a lasting culture of quality contributions within the community.
- 10. Does your project involve work with children or youth? (required)
Yes
- 10.1. Please provide a link to your Youth Safety Policy. (required) If the proposal indicates direct contact with children or youth, you are required to outline compliance with international and local laws for working with children and youth, and provide a youth safety policy aligned with these laws. Read more here.
Because this is an online-only programme, risks linked to physical gatherings are not a concern. However, safeguarding remains a priority. The project will operate in line with the Wikimedia Foundation's Youth Safety and Friendly Space policy to ensure that all participants, especially younger editors, are protected and supported throughout the programme. Editors below 18 years of age will participate only with parental or guardian approval, and younger participants will be supported through appropriate supervision. All training and editing activities will be designed for a general audience, with care taken to avoid inappropriate or harmful content. Project communication will take place on approved and moderated platforms, with clear standards for respectful behaviour. Participants will also be informed of a specific contact person(our Community Support Officer) for reporting any safeguarding or welfare concerns.
- 11. How did you discuss the idea of your project with your community members and/or any relevant groups? Please describe steps taken and provide links to any on-wiki community discussion(s) about the proposal. (required) You need to inform the community and/or group, discuss the project with them, and involve them in planning this proposal. You also need to align the activities with other projects happening in the planned area of implementation to ensure collaboration within the community.
The members of the Nigerian Wikimedia community have been informed here
- 12. Does your proposal aim to work to bridge any of the content knowledge gaps (Knowledge Inequity)? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Geography
- 13. Does your proposal include any of these areas or thematic focus? Select one option that most applies to your work. (required)
Advocacy
- 14. Will your work focus on involving participants from any underrepresented communities? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Geographic
- 15. In what ways do you think your proposal most contributes to the Movement Strategy 2030 recommendations. Select one that most applies. (required)
Increase the Sustainability of Our Movement
Learning and metrics
[edit]- 17. What do you hope to learn from your work in this project or proposal? (required)
Through this project, we hope to gain insights into how Nigerian editors approach improving biographical stub articles, particularly in areas such as article expansion, sourcing, and adherence to content policies. By observing participants as they engage in training, mentorship, and the edit-a-thon, we aim to understand which support methods most effectively help editors turn stubs into well-developed biographies.
Key learning questions include:
- How much do participants improve the structure, depth, and sourcing of biographical stub articles?
- What challenges do editors face when expanding stub articles, and how can targeted support address them?
- Which aspects of the training and mentorship are most effective in increasing editor's confidence and skills?
- How consistently do participants apply reliable sources and Wikipedia guidelines in their edits?
- Do participants continue to contribute to Nigerian biographies after the project, and what motivates ongoing engagement?
To answer these questions, we will track article improvements, analyze before-and-after edits, gather participant feedback, and monitor continued contributions. These insights will guide future efforts to support Nigerian editors, improve biographical coverage, and strengthen the quality of content on Wikipedia.
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 30 | |
| Number of editors | 30 | |
| Number of organizers | 3 |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 150 |
| Wikimedia Commons | 20 |
| Wikidata | |
| Wiktionary | |
| Wikisource | |
| Wikimedia Incubator | |
| Translatewiki | |
| MediaWiki | |
| Wikiquote | |
| Wikivoyage | |
| Wikibooks | |
| Wikiversity | |
| Wikinews | |
| Wikispecies | |
| Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia |
- Optional description for content contributions.
N/A
- 19. Do you have any other project targets in numbers (metrics)? (optional)
No
| Main Open Metrics | Description | Target |
|---|---|---|
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
- 20. What tools would you use to measure each metrics? Please refer to the guide for a list of tools. You can also write that you are not sure and need support. (required)
Event Metrics will be used to track the number of participants, organizers, and editors involved in the project. Hashtags and the Outreach Dashboard will be used to monitor contributions made by participants on Wikipedia. Surveys and feedback forms will be used to gather qualitative insights into participant's learning experiences and to assess the effectiveness of the campaign.
Financial proposal
[edit]- 21. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it. (required)
- 22. and 22.1. What is the amount you are requesting for this proposal? Please provide the amount in your local currency. (required)
3182921.04 NGN
- 22.2. Convert the amount requested into USD using the Oanda converter. This is done only to help you assess the USD equivalent of the requested amount. Your request should be between 500 - 5,000 USD.
2240.5 USD
- We/I have read the Application Privacy Statement, WMF Friendly Space Policy and Universal Code of Conduct.
Yes
Endorsements and Feedback
[edit]Please add endorsements and feedback to the grant discussion page only. Endorsements added here will be removed automatically.
Community members are invited to share meaningful feedback on the proposal and include reasons why they endorse the proposal. Consider the following:
- Stating why the proposal is important for the communities involved and why they think the strategies chosen will achieve the results that are expected.
- Highlighting any aspects they think are particularly well developed: for instance, the strategies and activities proposed, the levels of community engagement, outreach to underrepresented groups, addressing knowledge gaps, partnerships, the overall budget and learning and evaluation section of the proposal, etc.
- Highlighting if the proposal focuses on any interesting research, learning or innovation, etc. Also if it builds on learning from past proposals developed by the individual or organization, or other Wikimedia communities.
- Analyzing if the proposal is going to contribute in any way to important developments around specific Wikimedia projects or Movement Strategy.
- Analysing if the proposal is coherent in terms of the objectives, strategies, budget, and expected results (metrics).