No Nigerian entry for 2026 Oscar Awards, selection committee says they failed to meet standards

By Felicia Odom 30.9.2025
There would be no Nigerian entry at the 2026 Academy Awards, the Nigerian Official Selection Committee (NOSC) said the six films submitted for review did not meet the standard required for the International Feature Film category at the 2026.
NOSC Chairperson Stephanie Linus said the Nigerian films lacked creativity and technical intentionality.
“While Nigerian films have no doubt shown significant improvement and growing awareness of IFF standards, there is still a deficit in creative and technical intentionality that will improve their competitive potential for global awards,” she said.
The committee plans to take proactive steps to encourage filmmakers to create with the Oscars in mind.
“This is why the NOSC will be taking more proactive steps to encourage filmmakers to create with the Oscars in mind,” Linus stated.
Linus encouraged Nigerian filmmakers to study previous International Feature Film-nominated works to deepen their understanding of the category’s expectations and strengthen future submissions.
The NOSC has formally communicated its decision to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, expressing regret that no Nigerian film was deemed suitable for the category this year.
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 per cent non-English dialogue.