Nigeria Is Trying Again for the Oscars as NOSC Opens Submissions for the 99th Academy Awards International Feature Film Category
The Nigeria Official Selection Committee has opened submissions for Nigeria’s official entry to the 99th Academy Awards International Feature Film category, and for Nollywood filmmakers with a finished feature, the window is now open and closes on 31st August 2026.
The NOSC, registered under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the Oscar Selection Association of Nigeria, is a cultural organisation whose mission is to recognise and celebrate the art of cinema by showcasing Nigerian films and filmmakers at the Academy Awards in the category of Best International Feature Film. Its role is straightforward and consequential at the same time: to screen, select, and submit the one Nigerian film that will represent the country on one of the biggest cinematic stages in the world.
The stakes this year are higher than usual because of what happened last time. In September 2025, the NOSC voted by majority to make no submission for the 2026 Oscars after receiving six films for consideration, with Chairperson Stephanie Linus stating that while Nigerian films had shown significant improvement and growing awareness of international feature film standards, there was still a deficit in creative and technical intentionality that would improve their competitive potential for global awards. It was the third time in five years that Nigeria sent nothing to the Academy, following similar outcomes in 2020 and 2023. That decision sparked a necessary and uncomfortable conversation about where Nollywood genuinely stands in the global awards ecosystem, and what it would take to change that.
The selected film for the 2026 cycle will become Nigeria’s official entry for the Oscars ceremony scheduled for 14th March 2027, with the Academy’s final deadline for countries to submit their international feature selections set at 30th September 2026. Filmmakers have until 31st August 2026 to submit through the official NOSC portal at thenosc.org, giving the committee enough time to screen, deliberate, and make a selection before the Academy deadline.
The International Feature Film award is presented annually by the Academy to a feature-length motion picture produced outside the United States that contains at least 50 percent non-English dialogue. Nigeria’s most recent submissions include CJ Obasi’s Mami Wata and Prince Aboki’s Mai Martaba, both of which demonstrated that Nollywood is capable of producing work that earns its place in that conversation. The question the 2026 cycle needs to answer is whether the industry has since produced something that moves the needle further.
For Nigerian filmmakers who believe their work is ready for that conversation, the window is open now. Submit at thenosc.org before 31st August 2026.
