Filmmakers have been encouraged to submit their feature films for the 2026 Oscars by the Nigeria Official Selection Committee (NOSC). The committee said in a statement on Monday that the chosen movie will represent Nigeria in the 98th Academy Awards’ Best International Feature Film (IFF) category.
Every year, a feature-length film made outside of the United States that has at least 50% of its dialogue in a language other than English is given the Academy’s IFF Award.
According to the NOSC, projects that are submitted must fulfill specified requirements, such as having authorized technical specifications, correct and readable English subtitles, and evidence of a theatrical release for a minimum of seven days in a row between December 1, 2024, and October 31, 2025.
Using the committee’s submission portal, qualifying films may be uploaded from August 13 until September 12, 2025.
The Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, will host the 98th Academy Awards on March 15, 2026.
After weeks of internal strife, NOSC’s leadership decided not to submit any Nigerian films for the 2023 Oscars’ IFF award category, causing a serious crisis in October 2022. This led to a lengthy dispute with directors who believed their films ought to have made the short list.
In 2024, NOSC reported that Ali Nuhu, Blessing Effiom Egbe, Ijeoma Grace Agu, Kene Okwuosa, and Victor Akande had joined its returning board. Stephanie Linus continues to serve as the committee’s chairperson.
