“Strong Wikimedia communities are not built by chance; they are built by leaders who are intentionally developed.”
Across the Wikimedia movement, many of our strongest community leaders never planned to become leaders.
Some became organizers because they were the most active editor in their community. Others stepped forward because someone needed to coordinate a campaign, manage a grant, or represent an affiliate. Many simply answered the call when leadership vacancies emerged.
While these journeys have produced remarkable leaders, they have also revealed a challenge shared by many Wikimedia communities around the world.
Being a great Wikimedian does not automatically prepare someone to lead a Wikimedia community.
Editing articles, organizing campaigns, facilitating trainings, or contributing thousands of edits are incredible achievements. However, leading volunteers, managing people, resolving conflicts, building partnerships, making strategic decisions, designing sustainable programs, governing affiliates, and inspiring communities require an entirely different set of competencies.
These are leadership skills that many volunteers have had little opportunity to intentionally develop.
As Wikimedia communities continue to expand across Nigeria and Africa, this leadership gap has become increasingly visible. Many volunteers find themselves occupying leadership positions simply because of their editing history, availability, or circumstance, not because they have been intentionally prepared for the responsibilities that come with leading people and organizations.
For the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria, this is no longer just a challenge to acknowledge.
It is one we have decided to solve.
The Wiki Leadership X Initiative was born out of our community’s commitment to investing in people.
During the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria’s 2022 Movement Strategy discussions, one recommendation stood out: investing intentionally in skills and leadership development for Nigerian Wikimedians. This recommendation was later reflected in the User Group’s 2026–2028 Strategic Plan, recognizing that stronger communities require stronger leaders.
Rather than allowing volunteers to grow into leadership solely through circumstance, the user group committed to creating a structured pathway that prepares current and emerging leaders with the knowledge, confidence, and practical skills needed to lead thriving Wikimedia communities.
Today, we are excited to turn that vision into reality.
“For years, we have invested in programs that strengthen content, communities, and partnerships across the Wikimedia movement. With Wiki Leadership X, we are making an equally important investment in the people who lead those communities. We believe that intentional leadership development is essential to building resilient communities and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the Wikimedia movement in Nigeria, across Africa, and beyond.” — Omolayo Ogunsiji, Executive Director, Wikimedia User Group Nigeria
Introducing Wiki Leadership X
The Wiki Leadership X Initiative is the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria‘s flagship leadership development initiative, created to intentionally prepare current and aspiring Wikimedia leaders for the responsibilities of leading communities, affiliates, and movement initiatives.
While many Wikimedia programs focus on building editing skills and delivering impactful projects, Wiki Leadership X focuses on the people who make those programs possible. It is built on the belief that stronger communities require stronger leaders and that leadership should be developed intentionally, not left to chance.
Designed as a structured leadership development journey, the program combines expert-led learning, practical assignments, peer collaboration, and real-world application to help participants strengthen their leadership capabilities. Participants will explore topics such as strategic thinking, governance, community building, volunteer management, communication, program design, accountability, and leading change within Wikimedia communities.
More importantly, participants will leave with practical tools they can immediately apply to strengthen their affiliates and communities, ensuring that the impact of the program extends well beyond the learning experience.
To encourage meaningful interaction and peer learning, the inaugural cohort will consist of only 50 carefully selected participants. The cohort will include representatives from officially recognized Wikimedia affiliates across Nigeria, emerging Wikimedia communities, Wikimedia Usergroup Nigeria Fan Clubs and Networks, as well as five participants from interested Wikimedia affiliates across Africa, creating opportunities for cross-community collaboration and shared learning.
Applications for the inaugural cohort are now open.
Selecting the Right Partner to Build Wikimedia Leaders
Because leadership development requires specialized expertise, the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria earlier this year launched an open call inviting leadership consultants and organizations to partner with us in designing and delivering the program.
The response exceeded expectations, with more than 20 leadership consultants and consulting firms expressing interest in partnering with us to deliver this ambitious initiative.
Over the past several weeks, we held extensive consultations, reviewed proposals, assessed methodologies, and carefully evaluated each prospective partner against the vision we had for Wiki Leadership X.
Following this rigorous process, we are delighted to announce KNEWROW as the official learning and implementation consultant for the inaugural Wiki Leadership X Initiative.
This decision reflects our confidence in KNEWROW’s ability to deliver a learning experience that is practical, measurable, engaging, and transformational.
Why KNEWROW?
Leadership development should never be theoretical.
It should equip people with practical tools they can immediately apply within their organizations and communities.
This practical philosophy is what distinguished KNEWROW throughout our selection process
KNEWROW is a management consulting firm specializing in organizational performance, strategy execution, leadership development, management systems, performance management, and organizational effectiveness. Their work focuses on helping organizations strengthen accountability, improve decision-making, align strategy with execution, and build sustainable systems for long-term impact.
Over nearly two decades, KNEWROW has built an impressive portfolio of experience, including:
- Supporting more than 200 organizations in solving organizational performance and KPI challenges.
- Reviewing over 300 organizational performance reports.
- Developing more than 200 KPI dashboards and balanced scorecards.
- Documenting over 3,500 key performance indicators across multiple industries.
- Training and certifying more than 2,500 professionals in practical performance management and organizational improvement.
Beyond these achievements, KNEWROW has partnered with organizations across government, education, financial services, nonprofit organizations, international development, technology, aviation, and the private sector. The firm is also an active participant in the United Nations Global Compact and serves as a delivery partner of The KPI Institute, reflecting its commitment to internationally recognized standards in organizational excellence.
What particularly impressed us was not simply their credentials but their emphasis on practical implementation, measurable learning outcomes, participant engagement, and continuous development: qualities that closely align with the vision behind Wiki Leadership X.
We are excited to work together in shaping a leadership program that can become a benchmark for leadership development within the Wikimedia movement.
More Than a Training Program
Wiki Leadership X has been designed as a leadership development journey, not a series of webinars.
Working with KNEWROW, the program will be delivered through a blend of expert facilitation and self-paced digital learning using KnewLearn, KNEWROW’s interactive Learning Management System (LMS). Participants will engage with structured learning modules, complete assessments, receive facilitator feedback, and track their progress throughout the program.
Participants will also progress through onboarding, baseline leadership assessments, accountability circles, practical assignments, community leadership projects, mid-program reviews, final evaluations, graduation, and continued engagement through an alumni network. The program also incorporates post-program monitoring to encourage participants to apply their learning within their Wikimedia communities and measure long-term impact.
Who Should Join Wiki Leadership X?
Wiki Leadership X is designed for active Wikimedians who are already leading or aspiring to lead their communities.
We encourage applications from contributors who currently hold, or are preparing for, leadership, coordination, or organizational roles within Wikimedia affiliates, communities, fan clubs, or thematic networks. Successful applicants should demonstrate a strong commitment to community building and be ready to actively participate throughout the program while applying their learning to strengthen their communities.
With only 50 available spaces, the inaugural cohort has been intentionally designed to foster meaningful collaboration, peer learning, and personalized engagement throughout the program.
If you’re ready to grow as a leader and help shape stronger Wikimedia communities, we’d love to hear from you.
Applications close on 26 July 2026.
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