Nigeria will not present any film for the International Feature Film category at the 2026 Academy Awards, the Nigerian Official Selection Committee has confirmed.
In a statement issued on Monday, NOSC Chairperson Stephanie Linus said the call for entries was opened in August and six films were received. However, after a meeting held on September 26, the committee voted by majority to make “No Submission,” thereby ending the process.
“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,” Linus said.
She explained that the committee had already informed the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of its decision.
Linus also noted that the committee will adopt proactive measures to prepare Nigerian filmmakers for future submissions. “This is why the NOSC will be taking more proactive steps to encourage filmmakers to create with the Oscars in mind,” she added.
She advised filmmakers to study past IFF-nominated works to better understand the standards and strengthen Nigeria’s chances in coming years.
The International Feature Film award is handed out annually by the Academy to a feature-length film produced outside the United States, with at least 50 percent of its dialogue in a language other than English.
