Nigeria had its best performance ever at the African Archery Championships. The team returned home with seven medals: one gold, five silver, and one bronze from the 15th edition of the competition held in Oran, Algeria.
The highlight was a historic gold medal in the barebow women’s team event. Nigerian archers also won medals in both barebow and compound categories, showing the country’s rising status in African archery.
The championships took place from July 21 to 26. A total of 138 archers from 18 countries took part under the World Archery Africa (WAAf) banner.
Historic team gold
Nigeria’s biggest win came in the barebow women’s team event. Faith Adekogbe, Mandu Eteidung, and Precious Fanny-Amun defeated Algeria 5-3 in the final to take the continental title.
This victory marked Nigeria’s first-ever team gold medal at the African Archery Championships. The trio capped off an impressive campaign with this win.
Adekogbe shines
Faith Adekogbe was Nigeria’s standout performer, bringing home three medals from the competition.
She helped the women’s team secure gold and also won individual silver after reaching the final as the top seed. Adekogbe beat Algeria’s Malia Ait Messaoudene 6-4 in the quarter-finals. She then won against Precious Fanny-Amun with the same score in an all-Nigerian semi-final. In the final, she lost 6-0 to Algeria’s Marwa Rahmoun.
Adekogbe teamed up with Abubakar Usman to win silver in the barebow mixed team event. Usman finished the championships with two silver medals. The barebow men’s team of Abdul Rahman Obasa, Abdulbasit Sanni, and Usman also claimed silver after finishing second to Algeria.
Nigeria reached the finals in all three barebow team events and the women’s individual final.
Compound success
Nigeria added three more medals in the compound events.
The men’s team of Aliyu Abubakar, Seun Emmanuel Oyeleke, and Damilola Bartholomew Sholademi defeated Algeria 205-183 in the semi-finals. They lost 197-182 to Mauritius in the final, settling for silver.
The mixed compound team of Hareke Evans and Seun Emmanuel Oyeleke also reached the final. They beat Algeria 143-102 in the semi-finals but lost 142-138 to Namibia to earn another silver medal.
Evans finished the competition on a high note, winning bronze in the compound women’s individual event. She defeated Algeria’s Sihem Akli 129-90 in the third-place match.
Oyeleke ended the championships with two silver medals from the men’s team and mixed team competitions.
Nigeria’s biggest-ever contingent
The Nigeria Archery Federation (NAFED) sent an 18-athlete team to Oran. This was the largest contingent Nigeria has ever sent to the African Championships.
The team competed across six divisions. NAFED President Mohammed Baba Abdullahi led the delegation, with Vice-President Augustine Obiefuna Chigbolu alongside coach Aliyu Garga.
This performance builds on Nigeria’s recent progress in the sport. The country had medal-winning campaigns in Pretoria (2022) and Nabeul, Tunisia (2023). Nigeria also won gold medals at the 2025 African Championships and Africa’s first Run Archery Tournament in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Federation hails milestone
NAFED President praised the team’s performance, calling it a turning point for Nigerian archery.
“Seven medals and our first team gold, this is the day Nigeria stopped competing to take part and started competing to win. And we are only just beginning.”
The federation’s Director of Marketing, Emmanuel Oyeleke, said the success should inspire more investment in the sport.
“Behind every medal in Oran are thousands of young Nigerians picking up a bow for the first time. With the right partners, we can turn today’s headlines into ranges, coaches, and champions in every state. This is how a sport is built, and we’re inviting Nigeria to build it with us.”
He added that while the athletes have shown discipline and determination, they need stronger support from the private sector.
“Our 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.”
The federation called on corporate organizations, brands, and individuals to support the national team through sponsorship, athlete development, equipment provision, travel logistics, and media partnerships. They aim to build on their breakthrough performance in Oran.
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