Nwulite Obodo Open Data License — Made for sharing African datasets equitably
We proudly introduce our Nwulite Obodo Open Data License version 1.0, now open for comments and feedback. Nwulite Obodo which is Igbo for raising, reviving and/or building the community, is a response to the needs and challenges of data scientists, researchers and social entrepreneurs and data contribution communities across Africa regarding existing open data licenses. It incorporates revisions to existing open data licenses and advocates principles that make sharing and reusing African datasets easier, effective and most importantly, equitable.
Nwulite Obodo Open Data License was an idea formed a few years ago after speaking with several researchers and developers who are working specifically on African datasets especially those whose work focuses on African Natural Language Processing and after engaging with court decisions on how different contexts necessitate treating different people differently to achieve equitable and non-discriminatory outcomes. Some of the challenges that resonated and which we set out to address by offering a license such as the Nwulite Obodo Open Data License revolved around how to address issues such as the interests of key contributors to and members of communities (bound geographically or by interests) who produce African datasets; extractive practices and digital colonialism that may be reinforced by existing open data licenses which treat all dataset users as having the same or similar contexts.
We set out to drafting an open license framework that aim to address these challenges. In the process, we saw the need to create other tools that will help strengthen best practices and establish efficient but equitable processes for communities that create/produce African datasets including tools that help creators of African datasets in documenting the participation and contribution of the community in the making of the datasets. We also reflected on what kind of licensing framework may best address the issues and needs in a manner that is efficient. We think the Nwulite Obodo Open Data License achieves these goals, and more. And the reactions from the African AI community when we pre-launched the license at our co-hosted Empowering African Voices in AI: Data, Models, and Innovation workshop took place on September 6, 2024 at the Amadou Mahtar Mbow University (UAM) in Dakar, Senegal as part of Deep Learning Indaba 2024 confirms this thinking.
Nwulite Obodo Open Data License is created for those who want to share African datasets and those who want to use/reuse African datasets equitably, especially those from/in/of Africa. This is due to the focus on African communities which are not limited to those geographically bound but also to those who are bound by interests in African datasets and contexts.
Among the unique features of the Nwulite Obodo Open Data License are a single tripartite license agreement involving a licensor/licensor group, licensees from developing nations and licensees from developed nations, an expanded view of pricing and exchanges for open African datasets, and a new mechanism – African datasets creation split sheet – that allows data contributors and providers to document their contribution to a given dataset.
You can find the Nwulite Obodo Open Data License version 1.0 on a dedicated website, contribute to the public discussion on issues peculiar to African datasets on Open data licence iAfri-wiki, and read our points for consideration and reflection in drafting the license terms.
The drafting and development process has been a collaborative effort between researchers at the Data Science Law Lab, Data Science for Social Impact, Centre for Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law and numerous members of the African dataset community who are committed to open, equitable licenses for sharing African datasets.
With the Nwulite Obodo Open Data License version 1.0 published, we will be turning our attention to seeking and receiving feedback from the African AI developer and licensing community and to test the license on some real use cases. This is already underway and we urge every interested persons and organisations to join the conversation.
To every person and organisation who participated in making Nwulite Obodo Open Data License a reality; Daalu rinne! E se pupo! Ke a leboga! Asante sana!
