▁for ▁the ▁year ▁ 2 0 1 8 . ▁ ▁Count ries , ▁which ▁competed ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁edition : ▁▁▁ ▁( 1 ) ▁ ▁( 1 1 ) ▁ ▁( 2 ) ▁ ▁( 2 ) ▁ ▁( 3 ) ▁ ▁( 6 ) ▁ ▁( 3 ) ▁ ▁( 1 ) ▁ ▁( 7 ) ▁ ▁( 5 ) ▁ ▁( 1 ) ▁ ▁( 2 ) ▁ ▁( 6 ) ▁ ▁( 5 ) ▁ ▁( 1 4 ) ▁ ▁( 4 ) ▁ ▁( 2 ) ▁▁ ▁( 4 ) ▁ ▁( 3 ) ▁ ▁Count ries , ▁which ▁submitted ▁pre - reg istration ▁but ▁did ▁not ▁sent ▁valid ▁entries : ▁▁ ▁A ▁National ▁Se lections ▁phase ▁followed , ▁from ▁ 2 4 ▁January ▁to ▁ 1 ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁to ▁determine ▁the ▁best ▁entry ▁from ▁each ▁country ▁to ▁proceed ▁to ▁the ▁Final . ▁Out ▁of ▁total ▁of ▁ 8 2 ▁songs ▁by ▁ 4 5 ▁perform ers , ▁the ▁largest ▁number ▁of ▁entries ▁in ▁a ▁national ▁selection ▁was ▁in ▁South ▁Africa ▁( 1 4 ), ▁followed ▁by ▁Cam ero on ▁( 1 1 ) ▁and ▁Gab on ▁( 7 ). ▁In ▁B ots w ana , ▁Eth iop ia ▁and ▁Guinea ▁only ▁one ▁entry ▁competed , ▁but ▁it ▁was ▁still ▁subject ▁to ▁J ury ▁and ▁Public ▁evaluation ▁before ▁it ▁could ▁proceed ▁further . ▁In ▁C AR ▁( 2 ), ▁Egypt ▁( 3 ), ▁Moz amb ique ▁( 2 ), ▁T