Baffa dan Najeriya

Baffa dan Najeriya (Hausa for 'Nigerian Jewel') is an upcoming national selection process for Nigeria in the Own Africavision Song Contest. The first edition is taking place in preparation for the Own Africavision Song Contest 3.

History
Nigerian Television Authority first announced that a national selection would take place to select the artist for the Own Africavision Song Contest 1 for Nigeria, however, due to the COVID-19 global pandemic starting to spread amongst Africa and flights being cancelled, NTA were forced to announce the cancellation of "Onye Nnọchi Anya Don Nàìjíríà" on 14th April 2020 stating that it would be an 'irresponsible social gathering' No further update on this selection has been announced since.

On 30th April 2020, NTA revealed a graphic design for "Baffa dan Najeriya" with some vague plans for the upcoming national selection which, at that stage, would most likely have occurred in March 2021.

One month later, on 30th May 2020, NTA revealed further plans for Baffa dan Najeriya 1 after the 'unfortunate and undeserved' non-qualification of Tolani and Reekado Banks with "Ba mi lo" at the Own Africavision Song Contest 1. It was stated that the selection is expected to occur in late 2020, in preparation for the Own Africavision Song Contest 3, having been brought forward by around six months, stating that an internal selection would take place for the second edition and depending on the result, a potential internal selection for the third edition, however, NTA stated that this was 'unlikely'. The broadcaster also revealed that the first edition would be hosted in Abuja, Nigeria's capital city, at the Abuja International Conference centre, and that there would be 10 entries competing to represent Nigeria. It was also announced that two of these acts would be Tolani and Reekado banks after their 'unfortunate and undeserved' non-qualification at the Own Africavision Song Contest 1. The statement closed by stating that the host will be announced on 31st May 2020.

On 31st May, NTA confirmed that British-Nigerian reality TV star Ovie Soko would host the very first edition and stated that further details were to come, however, nothing more was announced until 11th June.

On the 11th June, just 12 hours after the final results of the first edition of the Own Africavision Song Contest were revealed, NTA revealed that the first edition would be presented in 6 languages: English, Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, Fula and Urhobo. It was also announced that the contest was expected to first take place in the summer of 2020, a further 3 months earlier than expected. The graphic design was also revealed: the official logo of Baffa dan Najeriya with a neon colour contrast background to the flag of Nigeria. However, NTA announced that 'a huge number of artists' had applied to compete, and in order to fulfil this, a preliminary elimination round would be necessary. There would be 24 Nigerian acts participating, facing a public vote in which 8 would qualify for the final. These acts were all revealed later that day.

On 13th June, an allocation draw took place in which the two automatic qualifiers, Tolani and Reekado Banks, were drawn a slot in the running order.

On 11th August 2020, the first edition of Baffa dan Najeriya opened the online poll for the 24 acts fighting for a place in the final.