▁aud iting ▁firm . ▁ ▁El ig ibility ▁ ▁El ig ible ▁entries ▁are ▁original ▁songs ▁which ▁have ▁not ▁been ▁commer cially ▁released ▁or ▁published ▁with ▁a ▁maximum ▁duration ▁of ▁ 4 . 5 ▁minutes . ▁Perform ing ▁artist ▁must ▁be ▁at ▁least ▁ 1 8 ▁years ▁of ▁age ▁and ▁be ▁citiz en ▁or ▁permanent ▁resident ▁in ▁the ▁particip ating ▁country ▁( any ▁of ▁ 5 4 ▁so ver eign ▁countries ▁of ▁Africa ▁or ▁partially ▁recognized ▁Western ▁Sah ara , ▁not ▁depending ▁on ▁African ▁Union ▁of ▁Broadcast ing ▁membership ). ▁If ▁born ▁in ▁another ▁country ▁and ▁qual ifies ▁for ▁dual ▁citizens hip , ▁an ▁artist ▁may ▁enter ▁the ▁competition ▁representing ▁a ▁country ▁of ▁family ▁origin . ▁Each ▁song writer ▁can ▁enter ▁up ▁to ▁ 3 ▁songs . ▁No ▁lyr ics ▁of ▁political ▁nature , ▁un accept able ▁language ▁or ▁messages ▁prom oting ▁any ▁organization ▁or ▁institution ▁are ▁allowed . ▁ ▁A fri Music ▁Song ▁Cont est ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁ ▁Pre - reg istration ▁phase ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁event ▁took ▁place ▁from ▁ 3 ▁August ▁to ▁ 3 ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁country ▁to ▁enter ▁the ▁competition ▁was ▁R w anda . ▁Entry ▁submission ▁period ▁run ▁from ▁ 1 ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁to ▁ 5 ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 8 . ▁ ▁Part icip ating ▁countries ▁In ▁its ▁first ▁year , ▁ 2 ▁ 9 5 0 ▁artists ▁from ▁ 4 1 ▁countries ▁across ▁the ▁continent ▁registered ▁to