Kachollom Named First Women’s Development Director in Nigerian Archery

The Archery Federation of Nigeria has appointed multiple medal-winning archer Kachollom Enyenihi as its Women’s Development Director, marking what officials described as the first appointment of its kind in the federation.

Federation President Abdullahi Mohammed announced the decision as part of a wider push to increase women’s participation in archery and widen grassroots access to the sport across Nigeria.

Kachollom, who represents Arch Archery Club in Abuja, is one of the country’s best-known female archers. She was part of the Nigerian team at continental events and won silver and bronze medals at the 2022 and 2023 World Archery Africa Championships in South Africa and Tunisia.

After the announcement, she said her priority is to build a clear pathway for girls and women, from beginner level in schools and communities to elite competition.

“My plan for female archery in Nigeria is to build a clear pathway from grassroots to elite level by introducing archery to girls in schools and communities, establishing regional training hubs with certified coaches including more female coaches,” she said.

She added that sustained growth would depend on building participation early and creating regular opportunities for female athletes to train and compete.

Kachollom also said partnership support will be central to removing long-standing barriers to access.

“Organising structured female-only and mixed competitions, and securing partnerships with NAFED, corporate sponsors, and government bodies to provide equipment, scholarships, and international exposure. The goal is to remove access barriers, ensure equal representation, and develop confident, high-performing female archers who can compete successfully at national and continental levels while serving as role models for the next generation,” she said.

The federation said the new leadership structure is intended to improve governance, attract sponsorship and strengthen grassroots development. Alongside Kachollom’s appointment, it named Emmanuel Oyeleke as Director of Marketing, Olatayo Olasehinde as Director of Strategy and ICT, and Akogun Abimbola as Director of Grassroots Development.

Officials said the broader objective is to build a stronger talent pipeline for national and continental competitions while making the sport more inclusive.