Lagos — The WikiHeritage Fellowship returns for its second edition with a focus on Women of Lagos: The Pre-Colonial Era, an eight-week programme dedicated to researching, documenting and improving public access to the histories of women whose contributions to the development of Lagos have received limited recognition.
The fellowship will bring together young history graduates, history enthusiasts and emerging heritage advocates, equipping them with practical skills in historical research, archival documentation, digital storytelling and leadership.
Through collaboration with the Lagos State Records and Archives Bureau (LASRAB), participants will examine historical records and explore the contributions of women to the social, economic, cultural and political development of pre-colonial Lagos. Research will cover notable women, women’s associations, entrepreneurship, community development and traditional institutions.
The programme will also provide leadership training through the Young Innovation Leaders Foundation (YIL), preparing fellows to lead community-based heritage preservation initiatives and sustain their contributions beyond the fellowship.
Experienced archivists and Wikimedians will train participants in archival research, digitisation, Wikipedia editing, reliable sourcing and open knowledge practices. Fellows will apply these skills to create and improve Wikipedia articles and, where copyright and institutional permissions allow, make selected historical materials available on Wikimedia Commons.
Fellowship Timeline
The programme will run from September 21 to November 6, 2026, following a preparatory period for applications and participant selection.
September 21 – October 9: Programme launch, orientation, leadership development, archival training and Wikimedia skills development.
October 12 – 16: Practical archival research and digitisation at LASRAB.
October 19 – 30: Wikipedia article creation, content improvement and peer review.
November 2 – 6: Public showcase, community engagement and fellowship close-out.
The fellowship will conclude with a presentation of participants’ research, an award ceremony and the launch of the Archives-to-Wiki Network, which will support continued collaboration and heritage documentation.
By combining historical research with leadership development and open knowledge practices, WikiHeritage Fellowship 2.0 seeks to make the contributions of women in pre-colonial Lagos more accessible while developing a new generation of heritage leaders committed to preserving the state’s history.
