Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/WLA 2026 For Creatives in Selected Nigerian universities. (ID: 23653683)
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Applicant Details
[edit]- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
Meritkosy
- 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.
WLA 2026 For Creatives in Selected Nigerian universities.
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2026-02-01 - 2026-05-31
- 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)
Wiki Loves Africa
- 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 Wiki Loves Africa campaign over the years has created a paradigm shift in the way in which Africa is documented, viewed and celebrated through the lens of creatives using multimedia (photography, videography and audio). Nigeria is home to a sizable number of creatives across the six geopolitical regions in the country. However, the level of their awareness about Wiki Loves Africa and how to participate has been low to a large extent. This has contributed to poor-quality multimedia output from Nigerian communities who participate in the campaign, mainly using their smartphones. Over time, this has led to having few top winners from Nigeria unlike other African countries that have consistently dominated most of the categories until recently due to deliberate and intentional efforts to woo more professionals to participate in the campaign.
In 2023, we were able to recruit professional photographers from our institutions and local community to participate in the Wiki Loves Africa 2024 and 2025 providing them with the right guidance and mentoring in contributing to Wikimedia Commons and other sister projects, leading to remarkable success with Saalyha Eeman winning the first prize in the Narrative Video category in 2024 and 2025. In 2024, User:Sasu photography joined was recruited from the University of Ibadan and have since participated and won national photo contest such as the Wiki Loves Earth. In 2025, Xeruz joined the Wikimedia movement through our local scouting for talents to participate in Wiki Loves Folklore and won second place in her first attempt. With our nack for talent spotting and recruitment, we strongly believe with the necessary support we would be able to recruit more photography, videography and storytelling enthusiasts across universities to participate in the Wiki Loves Africa 2026 campaign.
The challenges we have identified is that despite Nigeria’s immense creative potential and cultural diversity:
Limited Awareness: many professional creatives (photographers, videographers and content creators) are unaware of the campaign, its purpose and how participation can contribute to open knowledge and professional visibility. Misinformation about Copyrights/CC Licences Capacity Gaps: even among those who are aware, many lack the technical and digital literacy skills and tools to convert their videos into Wikimedia Commons acceptable file formats such as WebM (using AV1, VP9, or VP8 codecs), Ogg Theora (.ogv), and MPEG-1/MPEG-2 (.mpg) uploading content on Wikimedia Commons. Poor Representation: Nigeria’s cultural wealth is often missing or under-represented in open knowledge platforms, especially in visual documentation of cultural rites and rituals. Quality Concerns: The few submissions from Nigeria sometimes lack the professional quality needed to compete internationally due to limited mentorship, guidance, and technical support.
In 2026, the Wiki Loves Africa 2026 for Creatives in Nigeria seeks to bridge the representation gap of Nigerian creatives in global open knowledge spaces by empowering the professional creatives (photographers, videographers, and multimedia documentalists) to actively contribute high-quality visual documentation of Nigeria’s diverse rites and rituals. We aim to build high-level awareness, participation, and capacity among professional creatives to tell authentic Nigerian stories through visual media. The change we envision is a thriving ecosystem of skilled Nigerian photographers, videographers and visual storytellers who use Wikimedia Commons to preserve and share cultural heritage. We want to shift from under-representation to visibility, from low participation to active contribution, and from low-quality submissions to high-quality audiovisual content showcasing Nigeria’s rites and rituals.
- 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.
Awareness: organize community sensitization amongst creatives across regions in Nigeria to intimate them with opportunities to contribute to Wiki Loves Africa campaign, expert engagement and collaboration with existing creatives club, associations and hub across institutions and regions in Nigeria. Using targeted Meta and Google Ads to recruit independent creatives and phototo participate in the campaign
Training: provide training for participants on how to contribute content to quality images, reportage and narrative videos to Commons in line with the campaign theme: rites and rituals
February 1-28 : Awareness and Sensitization Outreach & recruitment across five universities Conduct online and offline outreach campaigns through social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram), creative community networks, and student associations. Launch targeted Google and Meta ads to attract creatives in the selected regions.
March 1-15: Virtual contest launch; provide campaign orientation – purpose, theme “Rites & Rituals”, submission process, misconceptions about CC licensing and benefits of participation.
March 16-22: Two Training
Understanding visual storytelling for impact, what you aim to share and how you portray it,
Photography & composition techniques Ethics in Media Representation specifically based on the theme for 2026.
Introduction to Wikimedia Commons, understanding Creative Commons Licensing, account setup, uploading media, proper categorization, and licensing.
Contributing to Wiki Loves Africa
March 23-31:
6 physical workshops (one in each location) will be conducted on photography, licensing, and Wikimedia contributions.
April 1 - 11 April
Field documentation by participants; local trainer sessions
April 12 -30
Submission period for WLA 2026 entries
May 1st - 31st: Prize awarding, recognition,
- 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.
- National coordinator – Merit Ibekeme: is an experienced Wikimedian and campaign organiser. She will be serving as the national coordinator overseeing the campaign’s operations across selected Nigerian universities, developing a comprehensive strategic plan for implementation, liaising with community trainers and supporting local organizers, and monitoring and evaluating all campaign activities to meet target objectives.
- National co-ordinator – Atibrarian is an experienced Wikimedian, campaign and event organizer and serve as the national co-coordinator for campaign across selected the Nigerian universitiies in the six geopolitical of zones.
- Communication manager – Oluwapelumi Aina is a Wikimedian and multimedia storyteller who is passionate about helping people make order out of information. Her work centres on advocacy and equity. She hosts the Africa Wiki Women Voices podcast and also serves as programme coordinator for the Africa Wiki Women Skill Up Workshop.
- Trainer – Wasiul Bahar Wasiul is an open knowledge activist and photographer from Bangladesh. He has trained and led hundreds of volunteer photographers to contribute to Wikimedia projects globally. As a certified organizer, he has successfully led multiple international initiatives and projects. Wasi has also served as a jury member and organizer for several Wiki Loves contests.
- Local organizer, Rivers – Jerry minor He is the Head of the Medical Library at the University of Port Harcourt and a Wikimedian who has organised and facilitated Wikimedia programmes and trainings within and outside Rivers State, Nigeria. He is the co-founder of the Port Harcourt Wikimedia Hub, which is an informal Wikimedia group housing students and staff from higher institutions in Rivers State and nearby states who have been trained on Wikimedia projects by the team. He is also a member of the Wikimedia Rivers Network and was a participant in the Wiki Education’s Scholars and Scientists programme.
- Local organizer and Trainer Benue – User:Ei'eke. Ei'eke. is an award winning professional photographer and experienced Wikimedian and trainer.
- Local organizer, Gombe – Umar2z is an experienced Information Technology professional with expertise in information systems management, project leadership, and cybersecurity. He has a strong track record in organizing Wikimedia activities through the Wikimedia Gombe Network, including trainings, edit-a-thons, and awareness campaigns. With skills in data analysis, programming, and project management, Umar will coordinate the project, liaise with partners, and ensure smooth execution.
- Local organizer, Kogi – Saalyha Eeman is a professional photographer and a two-time winner (2024, 2025) of Wiki Loves Africa in the Narrative Video Category and the Second-place Winner in WLA 2024 Photography Category organised Wikimedia Gombe Network
- Local organizer, Ibadan – Amina23 Aminat23 is an experienced Wikimedian and campaign organizer. She is the president of the University of Ibadan Fan Club, WUGN.
- Local organizer, Edo – Hackesan is an experienced Wikimedian and language contributor. He will be coordinating the affairs in and around Benin and other cultural heritage sites of interest for documentation
- Support Trainer, Rivers Nubelbariloe. He is a Wikimedian from the Nigeria Usergroup who joined the movement in 2022 and has been an active member of the community while contributing to Wikipedia. He was part of the team that executed the Wiki for climate literacy in the Ogoni project, which recorded huge success. He is also a member of the Wikimedia Rivers Network.
- Support Trainer, Gombe – Aisa Zerubabel is an award-winning documentary and event photographer and a highly skilled filmmaker from Gombe State, Nigeria. A graduate of Film Arts from the National Film Institute, Jos, Aisa focuses on the passion to tell stories that are not often told. Her significant documentary project, where she played the role of a scriptwriter, "Another Day in Adumu," earned 4th place at the Toronto Film Festival. A proud member of the Tera tribe, Aisa is committed to using visual art to bring unique narratives to the global stage.
- Support Trainer, Kogi – Afroscope is an African storyteller, photographer and cinematographer. He is bringing his wealth of experience to bear in visual mastery in the creative world to train Wikimedians and other enthusiasts in the community on how to contribute compelling audiovisual content into the Wikimedia spaces.
- Support Trainer, Edo – Sasu photography is an professional documentary photographer, storyteller, photographer and Commons contributor.
- Support Trainer, Ibadan – IamMKO is a Wikimedian volunteer and language advocate passionate about promoting African knowledge, culture, and indigenous languages through Wikimedia projects. He has participated in various indigenous-language contests both locally and internationally, and in 2024, where he emerged as the first-place winner in the "AfroCuisine X AfroFestival Contest". Also, as the President of the University of Ibadan Fan Club he has organized and co-facilitated several Wikimedia events and trainings aimed at empowering students with open knowledge and digital literacy skills.
- Support Trainer, Benue – Philipaodona4 is a volunteer editor and participant in the "Open Knowledge Practices for Librarians in Benue State University” capacity building.
- 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)
The target participants are professional creatives comprising photographers, videographers, content creators, and storytellers drawn from six Nigerian universities strategically located in regions known for their diverse cultural heritage, rites, and rituals:
Ahmadu Bello University (Kaduna State) – representing Northern Nigeria’s Hausa–Fulani traditional heritage and spiritual ceremonies.
Gombe State University (Gombe State) – representing the Northeastern region with unique festivals, initiation and coming-of-age rituals.
University of Benin (Edo State) – representing Southern Nigeria’s Edo cultural and royal court traditions.
Benue State University (Benue State) – showcasing the Tiv and Idoma rites around marriage, burial, and harvest festivals.
Rivers State University (Rivers State) – representing the Niger Delta’s traditional spirituality, masquerade festivals, and water-related rituals.
These universities were selected because they serve as creative and cultural hubs within their respective regions and provide access to diverse communities with rich cultural practices suitable for documentation under the 2026 campaign theme “Rites and Rituals.”
The project will also engage members of Wikimedia Nigeria communities, Wiki Loves Africa alumni, and local heritage organizations as collaborators and trainers.
- 10. Does your project involve work with children or youth? (required)
No
- 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.
N/A
- 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 National coordinatiors along with the local trainer and support trainers, discussed how best to concentrate our efforts on Gombe State, Rivers States, Ibadan-Oyo, Kogi State, Benue and Edo State, identifying unique cultural practices, festivals, and traditional ceremonies that are suitable for documentation. The team leads emphasized the importance of providing adequate trainings, mentorship to participants, and engagement strategies that will involve both new and existing photography experts as well as local Wikimedians and creative enthusiasts.
The group agreed to adopt a mentorship model where experienced Wikimedia editors and photographers will guide newly trained contributors to ensure continuity, growth, and sustained participation in Wikimedia activities. All participants will be added to an already existing WhatsApp group community of creatives for continuous support and and knowledge sharing.
- 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)
Cultural background, ethnicity, religion, racial
- 13. Does your proposal include any of these areas or thematic focus? Select one option that most applies to your work. (required)
Culture, heritage or GLAM
- 14. Will your work focus on involving participants from any underrepresented communities? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Ethnic/racial/religious or cultural background
- 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)
- How university-based outreach and creative partnerships can attract sustained participation in Wikimedia campaigns.
- What kinds of incentives, mentorship, and recognition most effectively motivate professional creatives to share their works under open licences?
- What training methods and storytelling approaches lead to higher-quality submissions that meet international contest standards.
- How participants interpret and visually represent “Rites and Rituals” across Nigeria’s diverse cultural and ethnic contexts.
- What structures or support systems are most effective in nurturing a sustainable community of Wikimedia creatives who continue contributing beyond the contest period?
- How targeted online advertisements (Google and Meta Ads) impact participation, awareness, and geographic diversity of applicants.
- How storytelling through digital channels can amplify interest in Wikimedia projects within Nigeria’s creative industry.
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 60 | |
| Number of editors | 60 | |
| Number of organizers | 16 |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | |
| Wikimedia Commons | 1000 |
| 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 Management Tool, Outreach Dashboard Tool and Commons category tool
Financial proposal
[edit]- 21. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it. (required)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hN48lwTHgvJR0xBy9-QsFl8_zZBpl-rMBqmqDhrF4II/edit?gid=0#gid=0
- 22. and 22.1. What is the amount you are requesting for this proposal? Please provide the amount in your local currency. (required)
7201118 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.
4986.41 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).