Olaniyan Olushola

{{{about me}}}

Olaniyan Ishola Olushola is an open knowledge advocate, digital heritage strategist, and community leader passionate about building inclusive knowledge ecosystems across Africa. He serves as the President of the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria (WUGN), where he has led numerous programs that promote free knowledge, cultural documentation, and indigenous language visibility.

• Co-founded Wikimedia User Group Nigeria in 2015.
• Conceptualiser, [Nigerian_Language_Oral_History_Documentation_Project].
• Led the design of WUGN 3-Year Strategic Plan (2026–2029).
• Led the conversation around the creation of West Africa Hub.
• Conceptualised and led the organising of Wikidebate, premiering in January 2026.
• Initiator, Wiki Re-Imagine Lagos Project.
• Worked in the team that organised the first Open the Knowledge Journalism Awards.
• Co-led the creation of the Wikipedia Awareness Program (2017), which produced one of the most viewed videos telling the Wikipedia story in Nigeria.
• Participated in all Wiki Indaba conferences since 2014.
• Participated in OpenAfrica15, a conference for Wikipedians in Residence organised by WikiAfrica in Johannesburg, South Africa.
• Coordinated national campaigns such as Wiki Loves Monuments, Wiki Loves Earth, and 1Lib1Ref.
• Co-lead, Wikipedia Pages Wanting Photos.
• Conceptualised Adopt-a-School Series in Nigeria.
• Coordinated the official mailing list and Facebook page of WUGN.
• Coordinated Wikipedia @15 in Nigeria and the Wiki Loves Nigeria Writing Contest.
• Coordinated Wiki Loves Women in Nigeria.lil
• Led Wiki Photo Tour in Nigeria.
• Conceptualised media partnership with Blackface Media for the radio programme Time-Out with Wikipedia.
• Lead presenter, Wikimedia Radio and TV Programme.
• Coordinated Wiki Loves Earth 2017 in Nigeria.
• Coordinated Wiki Loves Monuments 2016 in Nigeria.
• Conceptualised the planning of Wikimedia Fan Club, LASU.
• Conceptualised the establishment of Wikimedia Fan Club, University of Ibadan.
• Conceptualised the establishment of Wikimedia Hub, NIJ.
• Conceptualised and sealed agreement for Wikipedian in Residence at Goge Africa.
• Coordinated SHE CAN with ICT.
• Organised WikiMaster Conference, Lagos.
• Organised the local version of Black History Month – see dashboard.
• Project Coordinator, Visibility Project.
• Project Manager, Decolonise the Internet.

• 2014: Joined the Wikimedia movement; participated in the maiden WikiIndaba in Johannesburg, South Africa.
• 2015: Co-founded Wikimedia User Group Nigeria.
• 2016–2020: Coordinated national campaigns including Wiki Loves Earth, Wiki Loves Monuments, and Wiki Loves Women.
• 2017: Co-led the Wikipedia Awareness Program, producing the most viewed video on internet in 2017 about Wikipedia in Nigeria.
• 2018: Conceptualised the first Wikimedia Radio & TV Programme in Nigeria.
• 2020–2023: Advanced partnerships with media, academia, and government for open knowledge.
• 2024: Conceptualised the Nigeria Language Oral Knowledge Documentation Project.
• 2025: Led the creation of the West Africa Hub and designed the WUGN 3-Year Strategic Plan.
• 2026: To premiere the first edition of Wikidebate.

• Invited Speaker, Copyright and the Public Interest: Africa and the Global South Conference, South Africa (February 2025).
• Meeting with Director, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) as an Open Knowledge Advocate.
• Member, Europeana Network Association; candidate for the 2024 Europeana Members Council election.
• Lead Organizer, Public Policy Advocacy Nigeria.
• Initiated the conversation for the establishment of the West Africa Hub and i created the ongoing Wikidebate initiative.
• initiated the WikiHeritage Fellowship program in Nigeria with partnership Young Innovation Leadership Foundatio, and LASRAB integrating Wikimedia projects into leadership and knowledge-sharing programs.
• Strengthening the Wikidata ecosystem through collaboration with cultural and heritage institutions.