Wiki Loves Africa, an annual public contest organised by Wiki in Africa in collaboration with the Wikimedia movement across Africa, has officially opened the call for the 2026 edition, and is inviting photographers, videographers, and audio creators across the continent to document Africa’s cultural heritage under the theme “Rites and Rituals.”
Running from March 1 to April 30, 2026, the annual competition encourages participants to upload images, videos, and audio recordings that capture the diverse traditions and ceremonial practices of African communities. Organised by the Wikimedia community, Wiki Loves Africa is regarded as Africa’s largest openly licensed media competition, aimed at increasing visual representation of the continent on Wikipedia and other Wikimedia platforms.
Despite Wikipedia being one of the world’s most widely used sources of information, content related to Africa remains significantly underrepresented, particularly in visual form. The competition seeks to address this gap by encouraging people across the continent to contribute freely licensed media that showcase African life, culture, and traditions.
The 2026 theme, “Rites and Rituals,” invites contributors to document the ceremonies and symbolic practices that mark important moments in African societies. These include rites of passage such as naming ceremonies, initiation rituals, marriages, and funerals, which signify transitions from one stage of life to another.
Participants are also encouraged to capture religious rituals practised across the continent, including prayers, fasting, pilgrimages, sacrifices, and celebrations associated with faith traditions such as Ramadan, Easter, and Christmas. Traditional observances like the New Yam Festival celebrated by the Igbo community are also among the examples highlighted under the theme.
Beyond formal ceremonies, the contest also recognises the cultural significance of everyday rituals. Activities such as communal cooking, hair braiding, market trading, greeting elders, or traditional tea and coffee ceremonies reflect the cultural rhythms of daily life across African societies.
In addition, entries may document civic and national rituals, including Independence Day parades, military commemorations, flag-raising ceremonies, and other public events that symbolise national identity and collective memory.
Artistic and cultural festivals also fall within the scope of the competition. Through dance, masquerades, storytelling, theatre, and visual arts, these events preserve traditions while allowing communities to express creativity and innovation.
To participate, entrants must create a free account on Wikimedia Commons and upload media that clearly reflect the 2026 theme and were captured within Africa. All submissions must be shared under a free licence, allowing them to be reused to illustrate Wikipedia articles and other educational resources. Entrants can consult the How to Enter page for useful advice on everything relating to the competition.
The contest offers several prizes at both national and international levels. At the international stage, the top photography prize is valued at $900, while second and third place winners will receive $700 and $600, respectively. Also, a special Wilson Oluoha Prize worth $1,000 will be awarded. Media (Video, Audio, Graphics, Photo Essays):
Additional prizes will recognise other forms of media, including audio recordings (USD 700), narrative videos (USD 900), reportage videos (USD 900), video clips (USD 200), and photo essays (USD 300), highlighting the growing importance of multimedia storytelling on Wikimedia platforms. Winners of the international competition are expected to be announced in July 2026.
Notably, the competition provides an opportunity for Africans to document and preserve the cultural practices that define communities across the continent. Contributing images, videos, and sounds to Wikimedia Commons allows participants to compete for prizes and help expand the global understanding of Africa’s cultural heritage.
Interested participants are encouraged to capture and upload media that represent the many ways rituals and traditions shape life across Africa, ensuring that these stories are visually represented on the world’s largest free knowledge platform.
For more information and to enter the contest, please visit https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Wiki_Loves_Africa_2026.
