On Thursday, the Nigerian Official Selection Committee (NOSC) announced it is accepting entries for the country’s shot at Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards. Submissions run from August 13 to September 12, giving directors and producers just one month to put forward their work.

The NOSC which is the only body recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to make the pick, says the rules are clear:

• The film must be a feature-length production made outside the United States.
• At least half of the dialogue must be in a language other than English. Nigerian Pidgin counts.
• Accurate English subtitles are required.
• The film must meet AMPAS technical standards (35mm, 70mm, or Digital Cinema formats).
• It must have had a theatrical release in Nigeria for at least seven consecutive days between December 1, 2024, and October 31, 2025.

The winning entry will be announced later this year and will carry Nigeria’s flag to Los Angeles for the March 15, 2026, Oscars; a show beamed to more than 200 territories worldwide.

For Nigeria, the category remains an elusive prize. The country made its first official submission in 2019 with Lionheart, only for the film to be disqualified because it contained too much English dialogue. Since then, the NOSC has been vocal about encouraging productions in indigenous languages to meet Academy rules.

This year’s selection will determine whether Nigeria will finally make history and hear its name called on cinema’s biggest stage.