Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Improving Source Reliability Literacy Among Nigerian Wikipedia Editors (ID: 22946664)
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Applicant Details
[edit]- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
Vanderwaalforces
- 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 Source Reliability Literacy Among Nigerian Wikipedia Editors
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2025-05-01 - 2025-07-31
- 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) Yes, this project aligns with the Movement Strategy Goal 2030, particularly the initiative to address 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)
The Nigerian editor community on English Wikipedia faces an ongoing challenge regarding source reliability. A major concern is the frequent use of publications from Nigerian media outlets that are either entirely unreliable or only marginally reliable, leading to content disputes, edit reversions, and contentious discussions on the Reliable sources noticeboard, a noticeboard where sources' reliability is discussed (See a December 2024 - January 2025 discussion where what looks like a blanket unreliability tag was propose on all Nigerian media outlets, a September 2023 discussion where Vanguard achieved the marginally reliable status, an August 2019 discussion where Nairaland was correctly blacklisted as it clearly cannot be a reliable source of information for English Wikipedia). This issue is compounded by a lack of clarity among editors on Wikipedia's guidelines for determining reliable sources, as well as the presence of media outlets that operate with promotional, partisan, or sensationalist motives, which editors may unknowingly cite. Additionally, there is a growing perception that Nigerian sources as a whole are being unfairly stigmatised, discouraging editors from seeking out nuanced and verifiable alternatives, as pointed out in the December 2024 - January 2025 RSN discussion above. These challenges pose a risk to Wikipedia’s credibility by fostering reliance on sources that do not meet the platform’s reliability standards. Many Nigerian editors struggle to differentiate between high-quality sources and those that are biased, promotional, or inadequately vetted, leading to frequent disputes over content. This situation not only undermines the integrity of Wikipedia but also contributes to systemic biases, disproportionately affecting African-related content. As a result, valuable information is often removed or rejected, limiting the diversity and inclusivity of the encyclopaedia.
Wikipedia editors do not control the media, but the challenges related to source reliability can be addressed, and that is where this project comes in. It is designed to equip Nigerian editors with the skills and knowledge necessary to critically assess sources, refine their sourcing practices, and contribute high-quality content to Wikipedia. By doing so, editors will be better prepared to navigate and evaluate the Nigerian media landscape while gaining a deeper understanding of Wikipedia’s nuanced reliability guidelines. This initiative also encourages the use of reputable Nigerian sources to improve the reliability and representation of Nigeria- and Africa-related content, ultimately reducing disputes on the reliable sources noticeboard and fostering greater confidence in Nigerian contributions to global knowledge.
To achieve these goals, the project will offer virtual training workshops focused on Wikipedia’s reliability guidelines, recognising and avoiding biased or promotional content, and best practices for engaging with Nigerian media while identifying trustworthy sources. Additionally, accessible resources such as tailored guides and checklists will be developed to assist editors in making informed sourcing decisions. A mentorship program will provide an opportunity for experienced editors to offer feedback and guidance on source selection, ensuring ongoing support for participants. To reinforce learning and ensure long-term impact, follow-up assessments and engagements will be conducted.
- 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.
To address the widespread issue of unreliable sourcing among Nigerian Wikipedia editors, this project will implement a series of targeted activities aimed at building editors’ capacity to evaluate sources critically, avoid promotional content, and improve the credibility of Nigerian-related articles on English Wikipedia. Each activity is carefully designed to align with our overall strategy of awareness, training, engagement, and long-term sustainability.
Below are the key programmatic activities:
- Virtual Training Workshops (Core Capacity-Building Sessions)
- The project will deliver six virtual training sessions, each lasting two hours, spread across three months.
- What? A series of interactive, hands-on virtual workshops focusing on identifying unreliable sources, recognising promotional content, and applying Wikipedia’s sourcing policies (reliable sources, (un)due weights, verifiability, no original research and neutral point of view, etc).
- Why? As mentioned above in the statement of problem, many Nigerian editors rely on publications flagged for unreliability due to paid or promotional nature, lack of editorial oversight, and missing bylines. Training will help participants understand Wikipedia’s reliability guidelines and how to apply them in practical editing scenarios.
- How? Each session will use real-world case studies, including past RSN discussions (such as the Vanguard, Guardian, and Nairaland, and many other personal cases), to demonstrate issues with Nigerian media sources.
- Format: Virtual (via Zoom/Google Meet), with breakout sessions for practice exercises.
- Community Resource Hub (Dedicated Meta-Wiki portal + Outreach)
- What? A central Meta-Wiki page hosting resources, best practices, and real-time updates on Nigerian media reliability discussions.
- Why? Nigerian editors often lack an easy reference point for source evaluations. A well-maintained hub will serve as a go-to resource for guidance on reliable sources and discourage the use of questionable publications.
- How? The page will compile past RSN discussions, offer quick tips, and feature a regularly updated list of deprecated, questionable, and marginally reliable Nigerian sources.
- "Verify Before You Cite" Social Media Awareness Campaign
- What? A dedicated awareness campaign across Wikimedia Nigeria’s social media channels to highlight common reliability pitfalls in Nigerian media.
- Why? Many Nigerian editors get their news from social media and may not know how to distinguish between journalism and paid promotional content. This campaign will reinforce key lessons from the training in an engaging, accessible format.
- How? The campaign will include infographics, short explainer videos, and quizzes about source reliability.
- Source Evaluation Handbook (Practical Guide for Nigerian Editors)
- What? A downloadable guide with detailed explanations of reliable vs. unreliable sources in the Nigerian media landscape.
- Why? Editors need an easy-to-follow reference material beyond live training sessions. This handbook will be a long-term resource that remains useful beyond the event/grant period.
- How? The guide will include checklists, decision trees, and real examples from past Wikipedia discussions.
- Mentorship & Follow-Up Sessions
- What? A structured mentorship program where experienced editors provide one-on-one or small-group coaching to new and intermediate editors.
- Why? Training is more effective when participants have ongoing support. Many editors struggle to apply sourcing guidelines on their own after initial training.
- How? Experienced mentors will be paired with mentees via a WhatsApp group for regular discussions.
These activities will be effective because they are designed to provide both immediate impact and long-term sustainability. The targeted training workshops will equip Nigerian editors with practical skills to critically evaluate sources, ensuring they can confidently distinguish between reliable journalism and paid promotional content. The creation of a dedicated Meta-Wiki hub and a comprehensive source evaluation handbook will serve as ongoing reference materials, allowing editors to continuously improve their citation practices even after the training sessions have ended. The mentorship program will ensure that editors receive continuous guidance and support from experienced Wikipedians, reducing the likelihood of reverting to poor sourcing habits. The "Verify Before You Cite" social media awareness campaign will further extend the reach of this initiative, ensuring that key lessons on source reliability are widely disseminated among Nigerian Wikipedia editors, even those who may not attend formal training sessions. With a combination of structured learning, community-driven engagement, and accessible resources, this project will foster a well-informed and responsible editing culture among Nigerian Wikipedia contributors.
- 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:Vanderwaalforces
- Role: Project coordinator, workshop host, and mentor.
- Details: Has clear track records on English Wikipedia. Took two lists to the prestigious featured lists status (National symbols of Nigeria and List of governors of Edo State) one of which appeared on English Wikipedia's mainpage as a today's featured list. Created/improved twelve (12) good articles. Has over 45k edits on English Wikipedia. More insights at XTools.
Team Members:
- Username: User:Ibjaja055
- Role: Workshop host, and mentor.
- Details: Has clear track records on English Wikipedia. Created/improved one (1) good article. Has over 15k edits on English Wikipedia. Leads the Wiki Afrodemics Project and won the 2023 Wikimedia User Group Nigeria Editor of the Year. More insights at XTools.
- Username: User:Idoghor Melody
- Role: Workshop host, and mentor.
- Details: Has clear track records on English Wikipedia. Has over 35k edits on English Wikipedia. Created over 80 articles on English Wikipedia. More insights at XTools.
- 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)
This initiative primarily targets Nigerian editors on English Wikipedia, especially those who frequently contribute to Nigerian topics and use local media for citations. It includes both new and experienced editors who may struggle with assessing source reliability. Given ongoing concerns about Nigerian media credibility and its impact on Wikipedia, this project aims to equip editors with the necessary skills to make informed sourcing decisions.
To maximise participation, outreach efforts will take place through Wikimedia Nigeria community forums and social media platforms where Nigerian editors engage. Pre-event awareness campaigns will emphasise the importance of reliable sourcing and encourage participation. The initiative will feature interactive workshops and structured mentorship, ensuring editors can apply their learning in real-time.
Following the training, a follow-up system will track participants’ progress. The mentorship program will offer ongoing guidance from experienced Wikipedians to reinforce critical evaluation skills in actual editing. Additionally, a social media campaign will reinforce key lessons and promote responsible citation practices within the broader Nigerian Wikipedia 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.
Since this is an entirely virtual event, the risks associated with in-person gatherings—such as supervision, physical safety, and age-restricted content exposure—are significantly reduced. However, we will ensure a safe and positive experience for young participants by adhering to Wikimedia Foundation’s Youth Safety policy.
We will ensure that: participants under 18 will require parental or guardian consent to attend. Those under 15 will not be permitted to participate unless accompanied by a responsible adult; that the event avoid mature or inappropriate content unsuitable for young audiences. Any potentially sensitive discussions will be flagged in advance, ensuring transparency; that interactions during the event will occur in monitored spaces (e.g., Wikimedia-endorsed platforms) with clear guidelines on respectful engagement and safeguarding against harassment; and that participants will be informed of a dedicated contact point for reporting concerns about youth safety during the event.
Since the event is virtual, it does not require a physical venue safety plan, but we will still uphold the principles of youth safety through strict adherence to Wikimedia’s Friendly Space Policy. The Foundations's Youth Safety policy is, therefore, adopted for the sake of this event.
- 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.
To ensure community involvement and consensus-building, discussions about this project have been initiated within the Nigerian Wikimedia community and the broader English Wikipedia editor base. The idea was first introduced through internal discussions among myself and other experienced Nigerian editors who have expressed concerns about the frequent citation of unreliable Nigerian media sources and also agreed to facilitate the project with me. This concern was further reinforced by ongoing noticeboard discussions, where the reliability of multiple Nigerian newspapers has been questioned or downgraded.
We engaged the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria community by posting the project proposal on the talk page to gather feedback and encourage discussion. The responses were overwhelmingly positive, with multiple members expressing strong support for the initiative. Some highlighted the ongoing challenges Nigerian editors face when citing local sources, especially given the scrutiny of Nigerian media on Wikipedia’s reliable sources noticeboard. They acknowledged that the project’s structured approach—through workshops, mentorship, and a dedicated handbook—would provide much-needed skills for evaluating sources and improving the quality of Nigerian content on Wikipedia. Several editors also expressed their interest in actively participating, emphasising how the initiative would enhance their ability to navigate source reliability concerns and contribute more effectively. The full discussion can be found at Talk:Wikimedia User Group Nigeria and on English Wikipedia.
- 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)
Other Important Topics (topics considered to be of impact or important in the specific context)
- 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)
Invest in Skills and Leadership Development
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 deeper insights into the patterns of source reliability issues among Nigerian Wikipedia editors, including how and why unreliable sources are frequently cited. By engaging participants in structured training and mentorship, we aim to assess the effectiveness of different pedagogical approaches in improving source evaluation skills.
Key learning questions include:
- To what extent do Nigerian editors rely on local sources that are considered unreliable by Wikipedia standards?
- What common misconceptions do editors have about source reliability, and how can they be effectively addressed?
- Does targeted training significantly reduce the use of unreliable sources in Nigerian-related Wikipedia content?
- How does mentorship impact long-term improvements in sourcing practices among Nigerian editors?
- What are the best strategies for ensuring sustainable knowledge transfer within the Nigerian Wikimedia community on source reliability?
We will collect qualitative and quantitative data, including feedback from participants, content analysis of articles before and after training, and tracking improvements in sourcing practices over time. This will help refine future interventions and improve our strategies for strengthening Wikipedia’s credibility in Nigerian topics.
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 60 | This includes all individuals attending the training sessions, workshops, and mentorship programs virtually. We anticipate that at least 60% will be new participants who have never attended Wikimedia events before, while 40% will be returning participants with previous engagement in Wikimedia activities. |
| Number of editors | 30 | This represents the number of participants who will actively edit Wikipedia as a result of the project. We expect new editors (newly registered users) and returning editors randomly to contribute by improving articles with reliable sources and removing unreliable citations. By randomly, we mean, editors who had created their accounts in the past but didn't contribute, newly registered users, and users who have been contributing one way or the other since they created their accounts. |
| Number of organizers | 3 | These will be the individuals responsible for coordinating activities, training, facilitating discussions, and providing mentorship. Organisers will include experienced Wikipedia editors, and resource persons on media literacy. |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 300 |
| 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.
The primary impact will be seen on English Wikipedia, where articles related to Nigeria will be improved with better sourcing practices, while Wikimedia Commons will host educational visuals created during the project.
- 19. Do you have any other project targets in numbers (metrics)? (optional)
Yes
| Main Open Metrics | Description | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Mentors | Train mentors who will continue guiding editors on sourcing practices after the project ends. | 5 |
| Follow-up discussions | Host follow-up discussions with key Nigerian Wikimedia communities/subgroups/networks to evaluate the long-term impact of the training. | 2 |
| 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 count the number of participants, organisers, and editors involved.
Hashtags & Outreach Dashboard will be used to track contributions made by participants on Wikipedia.
Survey & Feedback Forms will be used to collect qualitative insights on participants' learning experiences and the effectiveness of the training.
Fountain tool / Dashboard will be used to review and assess the number of articles improved and new content contributions.
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)
4396330.58 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.
2924.07 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).