Nigeria has once again proved its growing strength in African archery with a commanding outing at the 2025 African Archery Continental Championship in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, securing two silver medals across the male compound bow events.
This year marked Nigeria’s third appearance at the continental championship, and true to form, the nation maintained its tradition of excellence by earning two podium finishes—a consistent achievement that has defined Nigeria’s presence on the African archery stage since its debut.
In the individual compound event, Aliyu Abubakar delivered one of the standout performances of the tournament. Shooting with confidence and remarkable technical discipline, he advanced through a fierce field to reach the final, ultimately securing the silver medal after a tightly contested match against the Mauritian favorite. His run to the podium not only broke competitive barriers but reinforced Nigeria’s reputation for producing top-tier talent in the male compound division.
Nigeria also clinched silver in the compound bow men’s team event, with the trio of Damilola Sholademi, Aliyu Abubakar, and Aliyu Abubakar Garga showing exceptional teamwork and steel-like concentration. They advanced through the elimination rounds with characteristic discipline and narrowly missed out on gold in a tense final against Mauritius—the undisputed giants of African archery.
Notably, Nigeria’s international, Damilola Sholademi, a highly decorated archer and veteran of the squad, competed under difficult circumstances. His performance was significantly affected by a sudden and unforeseen episode of severe sciatica, which hampered his qualification rounds and limited his competitive movement during the knockouts. Despite this setback, he fought bravely through the pain to contribute to the team’s silver finish. Sholademi is currently recovering and has assured supporters that he plans to return stronger, sharper, and better prepared for upcoming international campaigns.
In the developmental category, Alexander Harry-Erin, Nigeria’s promising U-18 recurve archer, bowed out in the round of 16. Though short of his target, the youngster has returned to the drawing board alongside his coach, with renewed focus and commitment. He is expected to come back stronger and will be ready when duty calls, reflecting the promise and depth of Nigeria’s emerging talent pipeline.
With two more medals added to the nation’s growing record, and with three consecutive championship appearances producing podium finishes, Nigeria’s trajectory in African archery remains firmly upward. The Abidjan outing reflects not only the strength of the athletes but also the rising depth, discipline, and ambition of the sport in Nigeria.
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