Nigeria Submits “Mai Martaba” as 2025 Oscars Entry for International Feature Film Category

Nigeria’s Official Selection Committee (NOSC) has chosen the Hausa-language film “Mai Martaba” as its contender for the 2025 Academy Awards in the International Feature Film (IFF) category.

Directed and produced by Prince Daniel, the film tells the story of an ancient kingdom in Daura, Katsina State, that experiences a brief economic boom through Trans-Saharan trade—an era brought to a standstill by power struggles within the powerful Agadashawa clan.

The NOSC, led by actress Stephanie Linus, evaluated submissions on criteria such as thematic depth, visual quality, and cultural significance.

The film received the highest number of votes from the 15-member committee, which includes notable figures in the Nigerian film industry: Directors’ Guild President Victor Okhai, actors Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Ali Nuhu, and Meg Otanwa; writer/director Izu Ojukwu; and film producer Emem Isong, among others.

In addition to its critical acclaim, “Mai Martaba” has already attracted international recognition, having been selected for the Septimius Awards in Amsterdam.

“Mai Martaba” is Nigeria’s third successful entry to the Oscars, a development celebrated by the country’s film industry, which has previously faced setbacks in securing nominations in the highly competitive IFF category.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which oversees the Oscars, will announce the IFF category’s shortlist on December 17, 2024, with the final nominations revealed on January 17, 2025.

The 97th Academy Awards ceremony will take place on March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, reaching an estimated audience across over 200 territories worldwide. If “Mai Martaba” secures a nomination, it could mark a historic breakthrough for Nigeria at the Oscars, where the country has yet to achieve a nomination in this category.