Experts have commended Wikimedia for amplifying Nigerian stories, preserving cultural heritage, and advancing digital literacy on the global stage during the annual Wikimedia Distinguished Awards Ceremony in Lagos.
The event marked a decade of Wikimedia’s impacts in Nigeria and 25 years of the Foundation’s global impact.
Prof. Rose Alani, Group Lead of the Air Quality Monitoring Research Group at the University of Lagos, highlighted Wikimedia’s transformative role in fostering democracy, knowledge accessibility, and cultural preservation.
Professor Alani described the platform as “a global classroom, cultural archive, and public good,” urging institutions and communities to embrace transparency, open research, and digital access in education and cultural initiatives.
“This is not merely a decade of activity. This is a decade of impact—lasting, measurable, and deeply meaningful,” Prof. Alani said.
“A knowledgeable society is an empowered society. An engaged Nigeria is a prosperous Nigeria. Naija, open up,” she stated
Chairman of the Wikimedia Nigeria Award Team, Okoloneli Anselm emphasised the need to expand Nigeria’s presence in the global knowledge ecosystem.
Anselm outlined key priorities for the next decade, including integrating Wikimedia into academic research, strengthening local-language content, promoting open-data and open-research practices, training young Nigerians for global knowledge creation, and digitizing cultural heritage.
Other Wikimedia leaders echoed these calls. The President of Wikimedia Nigeria Foundation, Olusola Olaniyan stresses the importance of government collaboration and public engagement online.
He said; “All we want is collaboration. We want the government to be involved and engage with us. Let us embrace the internet and openness. Information is key, and the world needs the right information about Nigeria.”
To the Co-founder, Kayode Yusuf, Wikimedia has helped project Nigeria positively and builds capacity in free knowledge and content creation.
He said; “As we continue supporting government efforts, the future will be brighter than today.”
The Executive Director Omolayo Ogunsiji encouraged award recipients and volunteers to intensify their contributions saying; “Wikimedia has closed the knowledge gap for millions. It offers vast information for free and remains the world’s largest online encyclopedia.”
The event, themed “Naija Open Up! 10 Years of Sharing, 25 Years of Global Knowledge,” brought together academics, volunteers, civil society organisations, government representatives, and industry stakeholders.
The ceremony concluded with the presentation of awards to individuals whose efforts continue to enhance Nigeria’s visibility and identity on Wikimedia platforms.
They recipients expressed gratitude and pledged to deepen their Wikimedia contributions, reinforcing the movement’s mission to enhance Nigeria’s visibility, culture, and identity on global knowledge platforms.
Olusola Akintonde