Wikimedia Foundation/Communications/Research/Diversity, equity, and inclusion research/Nigeria - 2022

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Diversity, equity, and inclusion communications research

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• Brazil - 2021
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This research is part of an ongoing series from the Wikimedia Foundation, aimed at better understanding Wikimedia audiences to achieve knowledge equity.

Full survey findings

Why is this data important?

• Before now, we did not have the data needed to properly understand and communicate about awareness gaps in relation gender, ethnicity and race.
• Provide the movement with a view into areas where we might strengthen and improve our work in relation to our common equity goals.
• Understand audiences within these groups and reasons for representation gaps in our movement amongst both editors and readers.
• Make informed decisions about programming and priorities based on the issues identified.
• Develop effective communications to increase engagement with those underrepresented in our movement.
• Better measure progress, hold ourselves accountable, and set benchmarks for improvement.

How will this data be used?

• Establish an understanding of the barriers to engagement and participation among underrepresented people on Wikipedia and other projects, and in relation to Foundation work.
• Address problems that may result in limited engagement and participation from the groups studied.
• Equip the movement with intelligence on the type of messaging and calls to action that resonate with these groups and ensure these are woven through campaigns and public relations efforts.
• Identify content and channels that people from these groups engage with and draw lessons that we can apply to our own work.

Putting the data into context

• The DEI perspective in Nigeria was approached on an ethnicity and religious differentiation basis, as this reflects the situation in the country.
• The ethnic groups were grouped into four, with the major three - Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa, and the smaller ethnic groups which include Ijaw, Igala, Nupe, Fulani, Tsekiri, Tiv, Urhobo etc.
• In addition, the religious differentiation include Muslims and Christian, but the Christains were further differentiated based on their doctrinal differences into Catholic and Pentecostal, with Pentecostal representing all evangelical and non-orthodox christians.
• In areas were the responses to some of the survey question were not differentiated by the communities, it is because the differences were not significantly different from each group response.
• The number of LGBTQ+ respondents was not significantly high, and as such, the data should be read on this basis.

Objectives and research questions

The key objectives was to understand how Wikipedia is perceived among different communities, to inform DEI strategy & communications.

Research questions

• Which communities within Nigeria are least likely to be engaging with Wikipedia?
• Which communities feel least represented on Wikipedia?
• Why do certain communities use Wikipedia less, or feel under/misrepresented?
• Are there gaps between communities' values, and what they perceive Wikipedia values as being?
• Which communities are likely and unlikely to edit or donate, and why?

Methodology

Survey:

• 1,500 respondents from local Nigeria opt-in survey panel
  • Age 18+
  • Sampled to be representative of the Nigerian online population on age, gender

• 15 minute online survey
• Survey in English only
• Fieldwork dates: 17th-26th May 2022

Key base sizes in our analysis:

• Gender
  • Male: 788
  • Female: 713

• Ethnicities
  • Yoruba: 552
  • Igbo: 466
  • Hausa: 232
  • Other ethnicity: 251

• Religion
  • Christian (Pentecostal): 612
  • Christian (Catholic): 241
  • Muslim: 281
  • Other: 367

• LGBTQ+: 61

Key learnings

Overall, people feel Wikipedia is not representative of local culture. Just over half of Nigerians feel there are too many articles about white people & culture, and a majority feel there is too few articles about Nigeria's ethnic groups. Many also feel articles mis/under-represent Nigerian ethnicities.

Igbo & smaller ethnic groups feel least represented, but does not affect Wikipedia usage. Some communities feel less represented but still have a high consideration & use of Wikipedia, and more positive perceptions. Wikipedia can work with these communities to improve how they are represented on the site.

The Hausa community has the most negative perceptions of Wikipedia & use it less. Hausa community have low awareness, usage & consideration of Wikipedia, and are least likely to see Wikipedia as honest and credible. Wikipedia has an opportunity to better engage this community.

The LGBTQ+ community has negative perceptions and lower use of Wikipedia. The LGBTQ+ community feel less represented on the site (and in media in general). Opportunity to engage this community, though be aware of potential governmental restrictions.

Driving up community engagement means more relevance & visual content. Increasing engagement with Nigerian communities, means;

1. establishing more cultural relevance;
2. better reflecting community interests, e.g. health & wellbeing; and
3. use of more video & images

Wikipedia awareness and usage

% aware of

% aware of Wikipedia

Notes:

Wikipedia recorded an overall high brand awareness in Nigeria at 92%, closely behind Google and YouTube.

• Wikipedia awareness is primarily driven by the Yoruba (93%) and Igbo speaking community (93%), particularly the Pentecostal christians among them.
• There is Lower awareness among the Hausa community, especially Hausa women (75%) but they also recorded low awareness of other web platforms.
• The LGBTQ+ community, and the Hausa community - especially Hausa men recorded low consideration to use Wikipedia

There is relatively high use of Wikipedia in Nigeria - median at 64%.

• Usage is highest among the smaller ethnic communities, and lowest among Muslims.
• Most users (99%) of Wikipedia in Nigeria primarily read in English language.
• Tech, business & science are key topics communities read about on Wikipedia.
• Tech, business, and health & wellbeing are key topics communities want to see more of on Wikipedia.
• Most communities use Wikipedia to learn about particular topics and for fact-checking.
• Hausa, Muslim & LGBTQ+ communities more likely to say “not being represented” is a reason for not using Wikipedia.

Wikipedia usage and barriers

37% of the people interviewed cited "Have not had a reason to" as the key reason for not using Wikipedia, followed by those who:

• Prefer sites with more images/videos (NET) 28%
• See Wikipedia come up in search results, but ignore it (19%)
• Is hard to understand/read (NET) (9%)
• Does not represent me (NET) (8%) (Hausa, Muslim & LGBTQ+ communities more likely to say “not being represented” is a reason for not using Wikipedia)
• Does not have articles relevant to me (7%)
• Wikipedia Usage, Topics (Insert graph)

Tech, business, science and well-being are the key topics communities in Nigeria read about on Wikipedia. These are also the topics they want to see more on the platform.

How to Improve Wikipedia: Most communities want more visual, content LGBTQ+ want more relevance to them

Learning Preference: Overall Nigerians prefer consuming video content to reading. The LGBTQ+ community however prefers text

% would consider using Wikipedia in future

Notes:

% used in last six months

% used Wikipedia in last six months

% stating as reason for not using Wikipedia in past 6 months
	Total	Male	Female	Yoruba	Igbo	Hausa	Other Ethnicity	Pentecostal	Catholic	Muslim	LGBTQ+
Have not had a reason to	37%	33%	42%	42%	46%	15%	33%	41%	39%	22%	29%
Prefer sites with more images/videos	28%	29%	26%	31%	24%	30%	24%	33%	29%	27%	17%
See Wikipedia come up in search results, but ignore it	19%	22%	16%	13%	24%	22%	22%	20%	21%	20%	17%
Is hard to understand/read	9%	8%	9%	9%	5%	13%	9%	8%	9%	13%	17%
Does not represent me	8%	9%	7%	4%	4%	18%	15%	5%	3%	20%	17%
Does not have articles relevant to me	7%	8%	5%	6%	6%	11%	6%	8%	1%	11%	17%

Topics read on Wikipedia (top 3)
	Average	Male	Female	Yoruba	Igbo	Hausa	Other Ethnicity	Pentecostal	Catholic	Muslim	LGBTQ+
1	Technology	Technology	Business	Technology	Business	Technology	Technology	Technology	Business	Technology	Business
2	Business	Science	Health & Wellbeing	Art	Technology	Science	History	Business	Technology	Science	History
3	Science	Business	Art	Business	History	Business	Science	History	History	Business	Music

Topics communities want to see more of on Wikipedia (top 3)
	Average	Male	Female	Yoruba	Igbo	Hausa	Other Ethnicity	Pentecostal	Catholic	Muslim	LGBTQ+
1	Technology	Technology	Health & Wellbeing	Technology	Business	Technology	Technology	Technology	Business	Technology	Health & Wellbeing
2	Business	Business	Cooking	Business	Health & Wellbeing	Business	Health & Wellbeing	Business	Health & Wellbeing	Business	Technology
3	Health & Wellbeing	Science	Business	Health & Wellbeing	Technology	Science	History	Health & Wellbeing	Technology	Science	Beauty

% selecting how they prefer to learn about new things
	Total	Male	Female	Yoruba	Igbo	Hausa	Other Ethnicity	Pentecostal	Catholic	Muslim	LGBTQ+
Watching videos	47%	49%	46%	49%	48%	49%	41%	46%	49%	51%	40%
Reading	39%	39%	39%	40%	40%	33%	41%	41%	39%	32%	47%
Listening to others	10%	10%	9%	8%	10%	12%	11%	8%	11%	13%	10%
Through images	4%	2%	6%	3%	2%	6%	7%	5%	1%	5%	3%

Representation and inclusivity

Media representation

• Igbo and smaller ethnic communities feel their ethnicity and language is least represented in media.
• Muslims feel it is their religion that is least represented.
• Women and the LGBTQ+ community feel less represented by their gender and sexual orientation respectively in Nigeria media.

Representation on Wikipedia

Nigerians more likely to feel their ethnicities and communities are under-represented.

% used Wikipedia in past 6 months

Notes:

% stating they feel represented in...

% stating they feel represented in...

% stating whether Wikipedia has too few, many, or right amount of articles about...

Notes:

Reasons they feel under/misrepresented

• Articles under or represent my ethnicity
• Does not see images that represent me or my community
• Way articles written under or misrepresent me or my comunities

Sexuality or Disability: LGBTQ+ people feel less represented on Wikipedia

Representation on Wikipedia, Articles:

Editing Wikipedia

There is an even interest to edit and contribute to Wikipedia across all communities.

% interested in editing Wikipedia

Top editing drivers

• Being part of an initiative that helps the society
• Interest to share knowledge
• To gain editing experience

% interested in editing Wikipedia because...

% not interested in editing Wikipedia because...

Top barriers hindering editing

• Lack of editing skills
• Lack of time
• Not knowing Wikipedia is editable

Conclusion

Overall, Wikipedia feels too 'white'. Just over half of Nigerians feel there are too many articles about white people & culture, and majority feel there is too few articles about ethnic groups. Many also feel articles mis/under-represent Nigerian ethnicities.

Igbo & smaller ethnic groups feel least represented, but does not affect Wikipedia usage. These communities feel less represented but have high consideration & use of Wikipedia, and have a more positive perception. Wikipedia can work with these communities to improve how they are represented on the site.

The Hausa community has most negative perceptions of Wikipedia & use less. This community have low awareness, usage & consideration of Wikipedia, and are least likely to see Wikipedia as honest & credible. Wikipedia has an opportunity to better engage this community.

The LGBTQ+ community also have negative perceptions & use of Wikipedia. This community also have lower consideration & usage of Wikipedia, and feel slightly less represented on Wikipedia (and in Nigeria media / online in general). There is an opportunity to better engage this community.

Driving up community engagement means more relevance & visual content. To increase engagement with Nigerian communities, Wikipedia needs to;

1. feel more relevant to their cultures;
2. better reflect their interests, e.g. health & wellbeing; and
3. use more video & images

Questions?

Please connect with us on our department talk page.