According to a statement released on the organisation’s website, the competition aims to identify and nurture new storytelling talent while providing participants with a pathway to transform their scripts into potential film productions.
Submissions for the competition will remain open until March 16, 2026, after which the evaluation process will begin. Entries will be reviewed between March 17 and March 20, with six finalists expected to emerge from the selection process.
The finalists will be officially announced on March 20 during a live broadcast on the organisation’s YouTube channel.
Judges and residency programme
The organisers disclosed that the judging panel for the competition includes filmmaker Halima Odiegwu, creative industry professional Emil Guruba and screenwriter Kehinde Joseph.
Following the announcement, the shortlisted participants will take part in a one-week screenwriting residency scheduled to hold in Abuja from March 22 to March 28.
During the residency, finalists will work closely with the judges and a team of professional screenwriters and industry experts who will mentor them and help refine their scripts.
The organisers said the programme is designed not only to identify promising talent but also to provide hands-on support that will help participants strengthen their storytelling and prepare their scripts for production.
Public voting to determine winner
At the end of the residency, each finalist will develop a completed movie script from which a short trailer will be produced to showcase the story concept.
These trailers will then be presented to the public for viewing, with audiences invited to vote for their favourite entry. Public voting will open on March 28 and run until April 6.
The finalist whose script receives the highest number of votes will be declared the overall winner when the result is announced on April 7, 2026.
Opportunity for emerging creatives
The organisers described the initiative as a platform aimed at discovering and developing fresh storytelling voices within the creative industry.
They encouraged writers with compelling story ideas to participate in the competition.
“We are pleased to invite screenwriters and storytellers to submit a synopsis of their original feature-length film script for consideration in the prestigious XLCreativeHub Screenwriting Competition and Creator Residency,” the statement said.
“If you have a powerful story and the vision to bring it to life on screen, this is your chance to be discovered, developed and celebrated.”
According to the organisation, the programme offers participants the rare opportunity to turn their scripts into produced films while also competing for professional industry opportunities, including a film writing contract, a production deal and shared royalties.
Interested creatives have therefore been urged to submit their synopses before the deadline and take the next step toward transforming their ideas into screen productions.