Team Nigeria has departed for the 15th African Archery Championships in Oran, Algeria, where the country’s largest-ever contingent will compete for continental honours from 21 to 26 July.
The 18-athlete delegation, assembled by the Nigeria Archery Federation (NAFED), will compete across six divisions — Compound Men, Compound Women, Recurve Men, Recurve Women, Barebow Men and Barebow Women — under the auspices of World Archery Africa (WAAf).
The federation described the squad as its most balanced team yet, reflecting the rapid growth of archery in Nigeria and the country’s increasing competitiveness on the continental stage.
Team Nigeria squad
Compound Men: Aliyu Abubakar, Ogheneovo Odjuwuederhie, Seun Emmanuel Oyeleke, Damilola Bartholomew Sholademi.
Compound Women: Kachollom Larai Enyenihi, Haareke Evans.
Recurve Men: Tobi Bello, Tosin Junaid, Francis Okechukwu Okwu.
Recurve Women: Dara Dorcas Banjo.
Barebow Men: Abdul Rahman Obasa, Abdulbasit Sanni, Arulogun Segun Joseph, Abubakar Usman.
Barebow Women: Faith Adekogbe, Aminat Adeyemi, Mandu Eteidung, Precious Fanny-Amun.
The delegation is led by NAFED President Mohammed Baba Abdullahi, alongside Vice-President Augustine Obiefuna Chigbolu, while Aliyu Garga will serve as coach.
Medal ambitions
Nigeria heads to Oran with confidence after a string of impressive performances in recent years. The country’s archers won medals at the African Championships in Pretoria (2022) and Nabeul, Tunisia (2023), before claiming gold medals at the 2025 African Championships and Africa’s inaugural Run Archery Tournament in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Beyond medals, the championships also offer valuable world ranking points as athletes continue their quest to establish Nigeria among Africa’s leading archery nations.
“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,” said Emmanuel Oyeleke, Director of Marketing at the Nigeria Archery Federation.
“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.”
READ ALSO: 1xCup organisers unveil plans for 2026 tournament
Call for sponsorship
NAFED said participating at a continental championship involves significant costs, including international travel, accommodation, entry fees, equipment logistics, athlete welfare and international licensing.
The federation is therefore appealing to corporate organisations, brands and individuals to support the national team through sponsorships covering team branding, athlete adoption, equipment supply, travel logistics and media partnerships.
According to the federation, partners will be associated with an Olympic sport that continues to expand its grassroots and elite development programmes across Nigeria.
The championship will begin with official practice and equipment inspection on 21 July, followed by qualification rounds on 22 July, individual eliminations on 23 July, team and mixed team events on 24 July, while the finals and medal ceremonies are scheduled for 25 and 26 July.
