Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Wiki Loves Africa 2025 campaign Collaboration in Nigeria (ID: 22887753)/Final Report
Application type: Standard application
Part 1: Project and impact
1. Describe the implemented activities and results achieved. Additionally, share which approaches were most effective in supporting you to achieve the results. (required)
During Wiki Loves Africa 2025 collaboration in Nigeria, the communities carried out a number of initiatives, concentrating on advertising the competition, enticing people to participate, and providing media pertaining to the "Farm to Plate" theme. The following are some significant actions and outcomes:
Trainings and Events: We had a total of 4 different online sessions and 3 physical events for the campaign.
The Wiki Loves Africa campaign in the Tyap Wikimedians community was launched on March 1, 2025, with an online meeting session held at 7:00 p.m. via Jitsi Meet – at least 11 people were present on the call. About a week later, on March 8, the community met in person in Barnawa, Kaduna, Kaduna State, Nigeria, to discuss the project with community members who showed interest. About 7 participants were present in person. We took them through how to contribute to the competition and what they stood to gain, plus what the community stood to gain from their contributions.
The Wiki Loves Africa campaign in the Igala Wikimedia community was launched on March 3, 2025, with an online meeting session held at 5:00 p.m. WAT via Google Meet – an average of 11 people were present on the call.
On 8th of March 2025, the community met in person in Lugbe, Abuja, Nigeria for a physical event to discuss and launch the campaign with physical community members and newbies who showed interest in the campaign. We invited community members via our social media handles (Facebook and WhatsApp) and the newbies through personal outreach by organizers and community members
21 participants were present in person. We had the following session during the physical event:
Introduction to Wikimedia and Wikimedia projects: During this session the newbies were introduced to the mission and vision of Wikimedia, the different projects of Wikimedia and how to contribute to Wikimedia projects. The session was also a refresher for existing community members.
Wiki Loves Africa session: During this session the participants were introduced to Wiki Loves Africa and Wiki Loves Africa theme for 2025. They got to learn the focus of the theme “Farm to Plate”, what to contribute and how to contribute.
Wikimedia Commons session: During this session the community members learnt how to make their uploads to Wikimedia commons, the file formats accepted by Wikimedia commons, how to convert their files to this formats (Using Handbrake or video2commons tool for video conversion) Photography Tips session: In this session, the community members who are basically amartuer and mobile phone photographers got to learn how to enhance the quality of their Images using mobile phones editing apps like Snapseed and Adobe lightroom before uploading them to Wikimedia commons.
The Wiki for Senior Citizens Network had their online session on the 9th of March 2025 with 13 people in attendance, While the in person session was on the 15th of March 2025 with 21 people in attendance . The in person event featured so many activities including introducing the new members to Wikimedia and Wikimedia projects, introduction to Wiki Loves Africa and Wiki Loves Africa 2025 theme and expectations, and finally contributing to Wikimedia commons.
To close the digital divide and encourage involvement in Wiki Loves Africa, a training and excursion were planned for senior residents in Obasanjo Space Center in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. We had journalists available at the event who documented everything that happened and did some press releases after the event.
Wiki Loves Africa 2025 in the Igbo Community was basically an online event, we had our online launch event on the 5th of March where we had an average of 27 participants at the event. During the event we did a refresher on contributing to Wikimedia Commons, Wiki Loves Africa 2025 theme exposition and expectations and a question and answer session from the participants. Community members were urged to submit images, videos, and audios that depicted the Wiki Loves Africa theme "Farm to Plate"
We also conducted follow up workshops on image editing tools, types of images, videos and audios to upload, mobile phone photography, Wikimedia Commons fundamentals, and high-quality photographs skills.
Results Achieved Media Uploads: Members submitted over 2,733 photos and other media related to the theme, contributing to the growth of Wikimedia Commons. Increased Participation: The collaboration encouraged participation from community members, promoting intergenerational collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Awards and Recognition: Winners received cash prizes for different categories of the contest.
2. Documentation of your impact. Please use space below to share links that help tell your story, impact, and evaluation. (required)
Share links to:
- Project page on Meta-Wiki or any other Wikimedia project
- Dashboards and tools that you used to track contributions
- Some photos or videos from your event. Remember to share access.
You can also share links to:
- Important social media posts
- Surveys and their results
- Infographics and sound files
- Examples of content edited on Wikimedia projects
Project page on Meta-Wiki or any other Wikimedia project
- Senior Citizens Commons Page - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Wiki_Loves_Africa_2025_in_Senior_Citizens_Network
- Tyap Community Commons Page - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Wiki_Loves_Africa_2025/Tyap_Wikimedians
- Igala Community Commons Page - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Wiki_Loves_Africa_2025_in_the_Igala_Community
- Igbo Community Commons Page - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Wiki_Loves_Africa_2025_in_the_Igbo_Community
Collaboration category - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Images_from_Wiki_Loves_Africa_2025_Collaboration_in_Nigeria
Images from online and physical events - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Wiki_Loves_Africa_2025_Collaboration_in_Nigeria
Links to social media posts
Seniors Citizens Network Contest Invitation post - https://www.facebook.com/61572187243019/posts/pfbid0VfXjpS6SSsjnFPBf6oZ1K8Xd7a8mzNi9HLLijmcS72pd7aW3rhnNuiyWqqujShxPl/?app=fbl
Event Invitation post - https://www.facebook.com/61572187243019/posts/pfbid02VN4D6nSLUS18vEfjQMrycd8pz7jyCcmbcxECnz3nQXFPEiM4co94StZVg2W5vLThl/?app=fbl
Post event/launch - https://www.facebook.com/61572187243019/posts/pfbid0WbbAJkgszNcbjMgvoiHq4CVDQrGd3HEh4L4LRVfE4Xkivhcgz4RshJ1TCeG2oroXl/?app=fbl
Tyap Facebook:
Online meeting - https://web.facebook.com/share/p/1C1dZ1j8J7/
In-person meeting - https://web.facebook.com/share/p/1HfvdyPzPw/
Closing post - https://web.facebook.com/share/p/14vKWnJuSK/
Instagram:
First post - https://www.instagram.com/p/DJLKe8Aou6a/?igsh=MXR0Y3RjNG1wMWppcg==
Second post - https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGrHWuhoyz3/?igsh=Y3V5amd6ZzZ5dmt1 Third post - https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGoNuOMus5G/?igsh=ZGFmankyZzdqdjJ6
Igala community
Photowalks - https://www.facebook.com/100092297195522/posts/pfbid0HhcKUgWTb4GFWx1HkXGnqxA4NJh2SEcZQE7BY6kLNYx9a48nz2XMS4vVa8bPHveQl/?app=fbl
Launch Photos - https://www.facebook.com/100092297195522/posts/pfbid02XMP7LoSLqHAt5r27fD1hemedycyGSTHQAiaMXTsCKamSgnZLHTen6rKotjyPRCmNl/?app=fbl
Event Invitation - https://www.facebook.com/100092297195522/posts/pfbid02wSBMQvVpgMofPBQwX2k9mjdfzQzw8ibBKGc5UyUVGd1Q5WkzPaVqSJ8bj6JdpDybl/?app=fbl
Igbo community
Invitation - https://www.facebook.com/100064332686791/posts/pfbid022YMhcYbg1b6mtxCAUCHzfoLwdh2EewwWrzXmD8ut6UCPoBo3uPBWtkmGUHcS59Xwl/?app=fbl
News and Media-
Senior Citizens news mention 1
Senior Citizens new mention 2
Additionally, share the materials and resources that you used in the implementation of your project. (required)
For example:
- Training materials and guides
- Presentations and slides
- Work processes and plans
- Any other materials your team has created or adapted and can be shared with others
- Introduction to Wikimedia and Wikimedia projects - https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Complete_list_of_Wikimedia_projects#Core_free-knowledge_projects
- Wiki Loves Africa session: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Wiki_Loves_Africa_2025/Theme
- Wikimedia Commons Session: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1SomAS-KepMo2Tr0Cewb6wWpZVEYaWNGJuTtnqgwxWsE/edit?slide=id.gcb9a0b074_1_0#slide=id.gcb9a0b074_1_0
- https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ybe_xIdvqT4IdvGL1NRpHRwFWDFIr6_RHQzJPuSt5_M/edit?usp=sharing
3. To what extent do you agree with the following statements regarding the work carried out with this Rapid Fund? You can choose “not applicable” if your work does not relate to these goals. Required. Select one option per question. (required)
| A. Bring in participants from underrepresented groups | Agree |
| B. Create a more inclusive and connected culture in our community | Agree |
| C. Develop content about underrepresented topics/groups | Strongly agree |
| D. Develop content from underrepresented perspectives | Agree |
| E. Encourage the retention of editors | Strongly agree |
| F. Encourage the retention of organizers | Agree |
| G. Increased participants' feelings of belonging and connection to the movement | Strongly agree |
| F. Other (optional) |
Part 2: Learning
4. In your application, you outlined some learning questions. What did you learn from these learning questions when you implemented your project? How do you hope to use this learnings in the future? You can recall these learning questions below. (required)
You can recall these learning questions below: 1. The effect of multiple collaboration on established Wiki Loves contests. 2. What becomes of a new community after hosting a successful first event 3. Impact of mentoring in project organizing and coordination.
1. The Effect of Multiple Collaboration on Established Wiki Loves Africa Contests Bringing together 4 Wikimedia communities - the Igbo Wikimedia User Group, the Igala Wikimedia Community, the Tyap Wikimedia Community, and Wiki for Senior Citizens Network significantly elevated the 2025 edition of Wiki Loves Africa in Nigeria. This collaboration infused the contest with diverse perspectives, enhanced regional representation, and expanded outreach channels. Each group brought unique strengths, from technical skills and media engagement to cultural insight and established organizing experience. While coordination across multiple communities required careful communication and flexibility, the collaboration ultimately led to richer content contributions, wider participant engagement, and a stronger collective identity. What Becomes of a New Community After Hosting a Stressful Wiki Loves Africa Fest Event Using Igala community as study for this, hosting a large-scale event like Wiki Loves Africa can be a demanding experience for a new community. The intensity of planning, execution, and post-event wrap-up often stretches their capacity but it also increases learning and visibility within the movement. After the event, the community depends on the presence of support systems to follow-up with participants and volunteers to build and sustain the community. With follow-up mentorship, acknowledgment, and integration into broader Wikimedia networks, a new community can grow stronger, more structured, and more confident. Without that, there's a risk of burnout or loss of momentum. When managed well, this kind of experience becomes a launchpad for deeper engagement and long-term sustainability. Impact of mentoring in project organizing and coordination Mentorship was a cornerstone of the success of Wiki Loves Africa 2025 in Nigeria, and one standout example was the involvement of Oby Ezeilo, a highly experienced and respected Wikimedian. Her leadership exemplified the power of mentorship not just in logistics and coordination, but in inspiring a well-rounded and enriching experience for participants.
Oby brought deep knowledge of Wikimedia projects, having coordinated numerous successful initiatives in the past. Oby introduced new initiatives that made the event more engaging and memorable. One of the most impactful was organizing an excursion to the Space museum in Abuja. This not only gave participants a break from intensive Wikimedia activities but also offered an educational and inspiring experience that aligned with the broader theme of knowledge and exploration.
Also the organizers equip the participants with the idea of what to capture and how to. Although at the end of the day, not all would follow as they are taught. For example, even after letting participants know that images less than 2 MB would not be counted in the competition, some still uploaded images less than 1 MB. The learning here is that as much as participants get taught on how to participate, while the majority may adhere to the instructions, a few will still go out of their way. The goal, then, will be to continue to guide them on participating more successfully in the future.
5. Did anything unexpected or surprising happen when implementing your activities? This can include both positive and negative situations. What did you learn from those experiences? (required)
We had issues with people at the location of our different photo walks across the different communities, they didn't understand the reason for our photography documentation and we had to explain before they allowed us to take photos of their farm produce and some did not allow us. At some places we had to patronize them by buying what they sell before we could take the photos. In the Igala community we had the issues of over 500 images getting lost because our SD Card from the camera got corrupted and we couldn't recover the images. And also we lost almost 1,000 images because the participants who went on photo walks hesitated to edit and upload the images captured, at the end of the day some of them lost the files because their devices crashed and some did not upload at all before the deadline passed. We learnt that in the future iteration of photography campaigns in our community, we should consider a group edit and upload session to get the files uploaded to avoid losses.
6. What is your plan to share your project learnings and results with other community members? If you have already done it, describe how. (required)
We intend to write a Diff post, share on social handles and other Whatsapp groups. Also in the Igbo community we will be having a community spotlight event where the winners will come and share the story and insights behind their photo.
Part 3: Metrics
7. Wikimedia Metrics results. (required)
In your application, you set some Wikimedia targets in numbers (Wikimedia metrics). In this section, you will describe the achieved results and provide links to the tools used.
| Target | Results | Comments and tools used | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 75 | 111 | Total number of editor, trainers, photographers and media |
| Number of editors | 50 | 97 | https://quarry.wmcloud.org/query/94131
Total number of editors that contributed to the campaign |
| Number of organizers | 5 | 5 | 4 community organizer and a project lead |
| Wikimedia project | Target | Result - Number of created pages | Result - Number of improved pages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia | |||
| Wikimedia Commons | 700 | 2733 | 2733 |
| Wikidata | |||
| Wiktionary | |||
| Wikisource | |||
| Wikimedia Incubator | |||
| Translatewiki | |||
| MediaWiki | |||
| Wikiquote | |||
| Wikivoyage | |||
| Wikibooks | |||
| Wikiversity | |||
| Wikinews | |||
| Wikispecies | |||
| Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia |
8. Other Metrics results.
In your proposal, you could also set Other Metrics targets. Please describe the achieved results and provide links to the tools used if you set Other Metrics in your application.
| Other Metrics name | Metrics Description | Target | Result | Tools and comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
9. Did you have any difficulties collecting data to measure your results? (required)
No
9.1. Please state what difficulties you had. How do you hope to overcome these challenges in the future? Do you have any recommendations for the Foundation to support you in addressing these challenges? (required)
Part 4: Financial reporting
[edit]10. Please state the total amount spent in your local currency. (required)
5723000
11. Please state the total amount spent in US dollars. (required)
342449
12. Report the funds spent in the currency of your fund. (required)
Provide the link to the financial report https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hl-TPOQR7DgMeynrd16d0Q0P_6gjV_m6Gb6mjogfwOg/edit?usp=sharing
12.2. If you have not already done so in your financial spending report, please provide information on changes in the budget in relation to your original proposal. (optional)
13. Do you have any unspent funds from the Fund?
No
13.1. Please list the amount and currency you did not use and explain why.
N/A
13.2. What are you planning to do with the underspent funds?
N/A
13.3. Please provide details of hope to spend these funds.
N/A
14.1. Are you in compliance with the terms outlined in the fund agreement?
Yes
14.2. Are you in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations as outlined in the grant agreement?
Yes
14.3. Are you in compliance with provisions of the United States Internal Revenue Code (“Code”), and with relevant tax laws and regulations restricting the use of the Funds as outlined in the grant agreement? In summary, this is to confirm that the funds were used in alignment with the WMF mission and for charitable/nonprofit/educational purposes.
Yes
15. If you have additional recommendations or reflections that don’t fit into the above sections, please write them here. (optional)
Review notes
[edit]Review notes from Program Officer:
N/A
Applicant's response to the review feedback.
N/A