Team Nigeria at Algeria for the African Archery Champs
Team Nigeria will arrive in Oran, Algeria on Sunday (today), ahead of the 15th African Archery Championships holding in the city from July 21 to 26, fielding an 18-athlete delegation across six divisions in what the Nigeria Archery Federation describes as the country’s largest and most balanced team at a continental championship to date.
The delegation, competing in the compound, recurve and barebow categories for both men and women, is led by NAFED president, Mohammed Baba Abdullahi, alongside the federation’s vice president, Augustine Obiefuna Chigbolu, and coach, Aliyu Garga.
The team includes Aliyu Abubakar, Ogheneovo Odjuwuederhie, Seun Emmanuel Oyeleke and Damilola Bartholomew Sholademi in the men’s compound category, Kachollom Larai Enyenihi and Haareke Evans in the women’s compound event, and Tobi Bello, Tosin Junaid and Francis Okechukwu Okwu in the men’s recurve division, with Dara Dorcas Banjo representing Nigeria in the women’s recurve event.
The barebow categories will see Abdul Rahman Obasa, Abdulbasit Sanni, Arulogun Segun Joseph and Abubakar Usman compete for the men, while Faith Adekogbe, Aminat Adeyemi, Mandu Eteidung and Precious Fanny-Amun fly the flag for the women.
Nigeria go into the championships, holding at the Mediterranean Village in Oran, with genuine medal ambitions, having previously won medals at the African Championships in Pretoria in 2022 and Nabeul, Tunisia, in 2023, before claiming gold at the African Championships in Abidjan and Africa’s first Run Archery Tournament, also in Abidjan, both in 2025.
NAFED’s director of marketing, Emmanuel Oyeleke, called on corporate Nigeria to back the team, noting the significant costs involved in fielding a national delegation at continental level.
“Every arrow our athletes send towards the target in Oran carries the hopes of a nation and the future of a sport that is growing faster in Nigeria than anywhere else on the continent. These athletes have trained with discipline and sacrifice. What they need now is the backing of corporate Nigeria, partners who want to be part of a story of excellence at the very beginning of its arc,” Oyeleke said.
The championships will open with official practice and equipment inspection on July 21, followed by the qualification round on July 22, individual eliminations on July 23, and team and mixed team eliminations on July 24, before finals and award ceremonies close out the event on July 25 and 26.
Peter, who has been covering sports for PUNCH for close to two years, focuses on combat sports reporting, special features and human angle stories
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