Wiki Master

Conference Participation and Hosting

Members of Wikimedia User Group Nigeria (WUGN) have actively participated in several international and local conferences organized by the Wikimedia Foundation and its global community. These events are instrumental in knowledge exchange, collaboration, and deepening engagement with Wikimedia projects across the continent.

WikiMaster Conference – Lagos, January 2018

In collaboration with World of Knowledge (WOK), WUGN hosted a 3-day conference at the Goethe-Institut, Lagos, aimed at building a strong WOK community in Nigeria using Wikipedia as a tool. The event was widely covered by local media, including BBC Pidgin, TVC, and STV, and raised awareness about both Wikimaster and Wikimedia projects. It remains one of the group’s largest outreach events.

Wiki Indaba Conference – Abuja, 2019

From November 8–10, 2019, WUGN hosted Wiki Indaba 2019 in Abuja, Nigeria, with support from the Wikimedia Foundation and Google LLC. Despite a reduced headcount compared to 2018, the conference boasted greater diversity — participants from 23 countries and over 40% female representation. WMF staff, including the Chief Operating Officer and 10 team members, were present. Feedback from across the African Wikimedia movement was resoundingly positive.

Wikimedia Conference & GLAM – Tel Aviv 2018

WUGN Chair Olaniyan Olushola participated in both conferences in 2018. Sam Oye also represented the group at the Wikimedia Conference that same year. Members of the user group have consistently joined events like Wikimania, Wiki Indaba, and the Wiki Education Conference to share insights and strengthen collaboration.

Wiki Indaba 2021 – Rwanda

Four community members received scholarships to attend Wiki Indaba in Rwanda. WUGN also ensured online participation through internet data support for virtual attendees. Key learnings from the event were documented and disseminated within the community.

Local Wikimania 2022 – Nigeria

In partnership with the Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa Wikimedians User Groups, WUGN co-organized a local Wikimania gathering in Lagos. The event mixed virtual and in-person components, featuring trainings, workshops, and brainstorming sessions. The theme of the 2022 global virtual Wikimania was "The Festival Edition."

Wikimania 2022 – Singapore

For the first time, seven WUGN members attended Wikimania in Singapore. Participants were encouraged to share their experiences with community members who couldn’t travel, ensuring wide knowledge transfer.

Wiki Indaba 2023 – Morocco

WUGN participated in Wiki Indaba 2023 held in Morocco. Several members received scholarships, and the group sponsored one of its leaders from Abuja to attend. These engagements underscore WUGN’s commitment to amplifying African voices in the global Wikimedia movement.