Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Wiki Loves Africa 2026 in Lagos (ID: 23631037)
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Applicant Details
[edit]- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
Jonywikis
- Organization
Wikimedians of Lagos User Group
- 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)
I'm a group leader of a Wikimedia User Group (submitted to the Affiliation Committee)., I'm a bank account signatory for the joint bank account of a Wikimedia affiliate, group, or organization.
- Describe all relevant roles with the name of the group or organization and description of the role. (required)
Leader and Outreach Coordinator: promotes the Wikimedians of Lagos User Group and its activities to the broader Wikimedia community, as well as to potential partners and sponsors outside of Wikimedia.
Main Proposal
[edit]- 1. Please state the title of your proposal. This will also be the Meta-Wiki page title.
Wiki Loves Africa 2026 in Lagos
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2026-03-01 - 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)
As the Wikimedians of Lagos User Group, our goal for Wiki Loves Africa 2026 is to inspire a new wave of visual storytellers who document, preserve, and share the cultural wealth of our communities through the theme "Rites and Rituals". We want to increase high-quality African-themed images and media on Wikimedia Commons, particularly focusing on Lagosian traditions that are underrepresented online.
The major challenge we are addressing is the under-documentation and misrepresentation of African cultural practices on global platforms like Wikipedia. While Lagos is rich in cultural diversity - ranging from Eyo Festival and Oro rites to naming ceremonies, weddings, and daily life rituals - there are very few freely licensed visual materials that showcase these traditions accurately on Wikimedia Commons. Many of our communities’ rites and rituals are disappearing due to modernization, urbanization, and a lack of platforms where local photographers can share their heritage with the world.
Another key challenge is the limited awareness of Wikimedia Commons and its relevance to African creatives. Many talented Lagosian photographers, videographers, and cultural enthusiasts are unaware that they can freely upload their works to enrich global knowledge. We want to address these gaps through targeted training workshops, mentorship sessions, and local photo walks.
Our approach involves a threefold strategy:
- Capacity Building: We will organize pre-contest trainings to teach participants how to document cultural rituals ethically, use Creative Commons licenses, and upload content correctly to Wikimedia Commons.
- Community Engagement: Through partnerships with photography collectives, we will create an inclusive space where professionals and amateurs can collaborate and celebrate heritage.
- Visibility and Continuity: We will promote the contest across social media ensuring that participants’ contributions gain recognition. After the contest, we will host an exhibition and awards event in Lagos to highlight the best works and strengthen participants’ connection with the Wikimedia community.
Through this project, we hope to change how Lagosian culture is documented - making it more authentic, participatory, and accessible. We want to empower local people to become the narrators of their own stories, contributing to the global commons and ensuring that Lagos’ living traditions are not lost to time.
- 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.
Our Wiki Loves Africa 2026 activities in Lagos are structured into three main phases: Pre-contest Engagement, Contest Implementation, and Post-contest Follow-up.
Phase 1: Pre-Contest Engagement and Awareness (March 1 - 15, 2026)
- Community Consultation: Engage our local Wikimedia community and cultural stakeholders through online and offline meetings to introduce the theme "Rites and Rituals" and gather ideas on local documentation priorities.
- Outreach Campaign: Promote the contest using social media and local photography clubs. We will reach potential contributors through Instagram, Facebook, and X, where creative communities in Lagos are active.
- Training Workshops: Organize a 2-day practical workshop on Wikimedia Commons uploading, Creative Commons licensing, metadata tagging, and ethical documentation of cultural rituals. Participants will also learn photo storytelling and captioning techniques.
- Photo Walks: Facilitate 2 guided trips to areas like Ojo, Ikorodu, Epe and Lagos Island to document local ceremonies, markets, and cultural gatherings that reflect the "Rites and Rituals" theme.
Phase 2: Contest Implementation (March 16 – April 30, 2026)
- Official Launch Event: We will host a colorful launch event to introduce the contest rules, share examples of previous winning works, and encourage participants to contribute regularly throughout the campaign period.
- Media Upload Support: Set up in-person upload sessions and online help desks to assist participants in uploading, categorizing, and describing their media properly.
- Mid-Contest Check-In: Conduct an online review meeting to assess progress, answer participant questions, and motivate consistent uploads.
Phase 3: Post-Contest Follow-up and Celebration (May 2026)
- Local Judging and Nomination: A panel of judges (photographers, Wikimedians, and cultural experts) will evaluate submissions based on creativity, relevance, and technical quality.
- Award and Exhibition Ceremony: Organize a physical closing event and exhibition in Lagos to showcase the best images, present certificates, and highlight the stories behind the works.
- Follow-up Mentorship: Introduce top participants to Wikimedia Commons experienced contributors in Wikimedians of Lagos User Group and encourage them to continue adding content related to Lagosian culture.
We have prepared an on-wiki landing page, where more information about the program can be seen. Wiki Loves Africa 2026 in Lagos
- 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.
Our project will be managed by an experienced team from the Wikimedians of Lagos User Group, known for organizing Wikimedia events in English and Nigerian Pidgin.
- Project Lead - Jonywikis: leader and founding member of Wikimedians of Lagos User Group. I am a sysop on the Nigerian pidgin Wikipedia. I have solid experience in contributing to Wikimedia Commons. I have organised and participated in various Wikimedia events. I will Oversee planning, coordination, communication and lead workshops.
- Training and Facilitation Lead - Biowikician: leader and founding member of Wikimedians of Lagos User Group. He is an admin on the Nigerian pidgin Wikipedia. He has organised Wikimedia events and participated in many. He is experienced in contributing to Wikimedia Commons. He will lead workshops and field documentation sessions, ensuring that participants understand Commons upload processes and licenses.
- Logistics Coordinator - Opeolade: She is an active member of Wikimedians of Lagos User Group. She will manage venue arrangements, photography equipment, refreshments, and participants’ travel logistics.
- Support Team: Some of our experienced members will help with registration, event photography, members of jury and technical upload support during the contest.
- 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)
Our target participants are members of Wikimedians of Lagos User Group, photographers, videographers, cultural enthusiasts, art students, and Wikimedia volunteers living in or around Lagos State. We will particularly engage communities in Ojo, Ikorodu, Epe, Surulere, Yaba, and Lagos Island, where rich traditional and religious rituals still thrive.
Before the activities, we plan to conduct a pre-contest awareness campaign through our social media platforms, WhatsApp groups, and local photography clubs. We will partner with local photography clubs to reach people who document culture professionally.
During the activities, our engagement strategy will include:
- Workshops and Practical Sessions: Participants will receive hands-on training in photo documentation, storytelling, and Wikimedia Commons uploading.
- Photo Walks: We will guide participants to capture rituals like naming ceremonies, market blessings, and community festivals.
- Recognition: Participants will be encouraged with certificates, small rewards, and social media features highlighting their contributions.
After the contest, we will maintain strong engagement through:
- Mentorship: Create a Wiki Loves Africa Lagos follow-up group on WhatsApp to provide continuous support.
- Retention: Encourage participants to join our Wikimedians of Lagos User Group, attend edit-a-thons, and continue contributing media to other Wikimedia projects.
- Exhibition and Public Showcase: Selected works will be exhibited on our social media platforms, helping participants build confidence and visibility.
- Ongoing Feedback: We will gather participant feedback and use it to improve future projects, building a sustainable pipeline of contributors who continue to enrich Wikimedia Commons beyond the contest period.
Our long-term goal is to build a self-sustaining community of Lagosian cultural documenters who consistently upload visual media about Lagos’ heritage to Wikimedia Commons.
- 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.
We held open discussions in our Wikimedians of Lagos User Group WhatsApp, where members suggested potential documentation sites, and agreed that the focus on "Rites and Rituals" aligns with our plan to document Lagos cultural events. We also posted a notification on our Wikimedians of Lagos User Group meta-wiki discussion page to gather inputs.
- 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)
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 Wiki Loves Africa 2026 in Lagos, we hope to learn:
- What engagement methods or strategies are most effective in attracting and retaining local photographers, videographers, and other creatives to contribute media files to Wikimedia Commons?
- To what extent do culturally focused photo and media documentation projects on Wikimedia Commons increase the diversity of visual content and representation from underrepresented communities?
- How does participation in Wikimedia Commons campaigns affect long-term volunteer retention and sustained contributions within the community?
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 50 | We expect to have at least new participants 25 and 25 returning participants for the events. |
| Number of editors | 50 | We expect to have 25 newly registered users and 25 returning editors for the events |
| Number of organizers | 3 | 3 persons will be organising and facilitating the events |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | |
| Wikimedia Commons | 700 |
| Wikidata | |
| Wiktionary | |
| Wikisource | |
| Wikimedia Incubator | |
| Translatewiki | |
| MediaWiki | |
| Wikiquote | |
| Wikivoyage | |
| Wikibooks | |
| Wikiversity | |
| Wikinews | |
| Wikispecies | |
| Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia |
- Optional description for content contributions.
We plan to upload 700 files with the theme "Rites and Rituals" to Wikimedia Commons
- 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)
Outreach dashboard, Ptools, Commons category, event registration tool and google form
Financial proposal
[edit]- 21. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it. (required)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jYGwncWvbrooYUBS08x_8xiga1DCDTM4Vw_yYwjvE78/edit?usp=sharing
- 22. and 22.1. What is the amount you are requesting for this proposal? Please provide the amount in your local currency. (required)
4317000 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.
2942.33 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).