2024 Nommo Awards Finalists
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL NOMINEES
Members of the African Speculative Fiction Society have nominated speculative fiction works by Africans as defined by the ASFS and Nommo Awards Guidelines across the following 4 categories for works published between 1 January 2022 and 31 December 2023:
Novel Finalist (The 2024 Ilube Nommo Award)
2024 Novella Finalist
2024 Short Story Finalist
2021 Graphic Novel Finalist
This lists below are organised alphabetically by title of work.
Some of the works are already listed with available online links.
2024 Ilube Award for Best Novel Finalists
Bones and Runes by Stephen Embleton
Abibiman Publishing, 2022
Stephen was born in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and is now a resident in Oxford, since being an academic visitor to the African Studies Centre, University of Oxford in 2022 through the James Currey Society and his then unpublished manuscript for Bones & Runes. His first short story was published in 2015 in "Imagine Africa 500" speculative fiction anthology. Stephen is one of the ten African writers making up the Sauúti Collective.
Dazzling by Chikodili Emelumadu
Wildfire, 2023
Chikọdịlị Emelụmadụ was born in Worksop, Nottinghamshire and raised in Awka, Nigeria. Her work has been shortlisted for the Shirley Jackson Awards (2015), the Caine Prize for African Literature (2017 & 2020) and has won a Nommo award (2020). In 2019, she emerged winner of the inaugural Curtis Brown First Novel prize for her manuscript 'Dazzling’. Her debut novel by the same name was published in February 2023.
Don't Answer When They Call Your Name by Ukamaka Olisakwe
Masobe Books, 2023
Ukamaka Olisakwe is a UNESCO Africa39 honoree, a University of Iowa IWP fellow, a VCFA Emerging Writer Scholarship winner, a Morland Foundation Scholarship finalist, and a Gerald Kraak Prize runner-up. Her works have appeared in the New York Times, Granta, Guernica, Longreads, The Rumpus, Catapult, and elsewhere. She is founder of Isele Magazine, and is currently writing a TV series, Agoodjie, for Canal+ and StudioCanal.
Shigdi and the Brass Head of Obalufon by Wole Talabi
DAW/Gollancz/Masobe, 2023
Wole Talabi is an engineer, writer, and editor from Nigeria, now living in Australia. He is the author of Shigdi and The Brass Head of Obalfun and has been a finalist for the Caine Prize as well as the Hugo, Nebula, BSFA and Locus awards. His latest book is Convergence Problems.
Vagabonds! by Eloghosa Osunde
4th Estate (UK), Riverhead Books (US), Farafina Books (NG), 2022
Eloghosa Osunde is a writer and multidisciplinary artist. Winner of the 2023 MoAD African Literary Award, 2021 Plimpton Prize for Fiction and a 2021 ASME award, they are the author of Vagabonds! (2022) and Necessary Fiction (forthcoming, 2025).
Warrior of the Wind by Suyi Davies Okungbowa
Orbit Books, 2023
Suyi Davies Okungbowa is an award-winning author of fantasy and science fiction. His latest books include Warrior of the Wind (sequel to Son of the Storm in the Nameless Republic epic fantasy trilogy) and the novella Lost Ark Dreaming. He lives in Ontario, where he is a professor of creative writing at the University of Ottawa. has won a Nommo award (2020).
2024 Novella Finalists
Broken Paradise by Eugen Bacon
Luna Press Publishing, 2023
Tanzanian-born author Eugen Bacon is a British Fantasy Award winner, a Foreword Indies Award winner, a twice World Fantasy Award finalist. Danged Black Thing made the Otherwise Award Honor List as a ‘sharp collection of Afro-Surrealist work’, and was a 2024 Philip K Dick Award nominee.
Land of the Awaiting Birth by
Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki and Joshua Uchenna Omenga
Published in Between Dystopias: The Road to Afropantheology, CAEZIK SF & Fantasy , in collaboration with OD Ekpeki Presents, 2023
Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki is a writer, editor & publisher in Nigeria. He's won the Nebula, Otherwise, Locus, BFA & WFA, & been a finalist in the Hugo, Sturgeon, BSFA & NAACP Image awards. He was a GoH at the Afrofuturism themed ICFA 43, where he coined the genre label, Afropantheology. Joshua Uchenna Omenga is a Nigerian editor and writer of African speculative and literary fiction. His story, ‘The Deification of Igodo’ appeared in Tor.com (Africa Risen anthology) and in The Year’s Best Fantasy, Vol. 2 (edited by Paula Guran). His ‘Pet of Olodumare’ (co-written with Oghenechovwe Ekpeki) appeared in F & SF magazine. He has also appeared in Obsidian with his story, ‘The Phial of Olodumare’. He copy-edited Dominion: an Anthology of Speculative Fiction from African and the African Diaspora (Ekpeki & Knight eds.). He was a participant in the 2nd edition of the Mawazo African Writing Workshop (2018-2019). He resides in Nigeria where he combines literary writing with legal practice.
The Lies of the Ajungo by Moses Ose Utomi
Tordotcom, 2023
Moses Ose Utomi is a Nigerian-American fantasy writer and nomad currently based out of San Diego, California. He has an MFA in fiction from Sarah Lawrence College and short fiction publications in Fireside Magazine, Fantasy Magazine, and more. He is the author of the young adult Fantasy novel DAUGHTERS OF ODUMA and the fantasy novellas THE LIES OF THE AJUNGO and THE TRUTH OF THE ALEKE. When he’s not writing, he’s traveling, training martial arts, or doing karaoke—with or without a backing track.
Undulation by Stephen Embleton
Published in Mothersound: The Sauútiverse Anthology, Android Press, 2023
Stephen was born in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and is now a resident in Oxford, since being an academic visitor to the African Studies Centre, University of Oxford in 2022 through the James Currey Society and his then unpublished manuscript for Bones & Runes. His first short story was published in 2015 in "Imagine Africa 500" speculative fiction anthology. Stephen is one of the ten African writers making up the Sauúti Collective.
2024 Graphic Novel Finalists
Die Strandloper by Daniël Hugo
Dream Press & Daniël Hugo, 2022
Daniël Hugo is a South African illustrator, storyboard artist and visualiser for numerous ad agencies, publishers and film productions. In 2001 he became a member of the 'Igubu Comics Collective' and has been a contributor to numerous underground publications including 'Helix', 'Clockworx', 'Velocity', 'GrafLit' as well as 'Holland SF'. Since, he has self-published 'The Oneironaut' & 'Other Tales' (a collection of short comics spanning 2001-2013) and 'The Souvenir', a graphic novella prequel to and inspiration for Uncharted Waters which appeared in the independent local anthology publication 'SECTOR'. As a local independent comic creator, he co-presented a panel on South African comics at the San Diego Comic-Con in 2014. Apart from his illustrative work he has participated in several group exhibitions locally and continues to devote time to practice his creative research.
Grimm's Assistant by Mamode Ogbewele and artist Chigozie Amadi
Mode Comics, 2023
Mamode Ogbewele is An Award Winning Comic Book Writer. He has written several comics such as Spirit Wars for Vortex Comics, Rekiyah for ICStudios and webcomics, including the short stories, Tradition, from the anthology by Myth Division titled Menagerie: Declassified Anthology, The Waker published in the 77 ANNUAL #1 by 77 Comics, and Ajiun from the anthology by Oneshi Press titled Destinations.
WindMaker volume 1 by Roye Okupe and artist Sunkanmi Akinboye
Colourist: Toyin Ajetunmobi; Cover Artist: Godwin Akpan
Dark Horse Comics, 2022
Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Roye Okupe is an award-winning filmmaker, author, speaker and entrepreneur. He is founder of YouNeek Studios where he writes, produces and directs animated productions, including the award-winning and critically acclaimed Malika – Warrior Queen Animated Short. He has been recognised as #5 on Ventures Africa’s list of 40 African innovators to watch (2016) as well as being part of NewAfrican Magazines’ 100 most influential Africans two years in a row (2016 & 2017). Most significantly, in 2021, Roye was nominated for the Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity in Comics, meant to honor “commitment to excellence and inclusion.” Roye released his debut graphic novel titled: E.X.O. The Legend of Wale Williams Part One, a sci-fi superhero epic set in Lagos, Nigeria, received critical and international acclaim. His won Story of the Year award at the Glyph Comic Awards in 2020 for his follow up graphic novel Malika – Warrior Queen. In that same year, Roye signed a first of its kind, monumental 10-book deal with Dark Horse Comics.
2024 Short Story Finalists
A Name is a Plea and a Prophecy by Gabrielle Emem Harry
Strange Horizons, 2023
Gabrielle Emem Harry is a Nigerian speculative fiction writer. She was selected as a 2023 LLEAA Fellow, shortlisted for the 2024 Writivism Short Story Prize and her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Strange Horizons, Solarpunk, Apparition, Omenana, Isele and more. Her favourite stories are the ones that feel like dreams.
Blackwater Children by
Moustapha Mbacké Diop
Haven Speculative Fiction, 2022
Moustapha Mbacké Diop is a speculative fiction writer from Dakar, Senegal. He studies medicine and is obsessed with African mythology, animation, and horror films. His work has appeared in Omenana, Haven Spec, Africa Risen, Blackened Roots, and The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction: Winter 2024.
Destiny Delayed by
Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki
Asimov's Science Fiction, 2022
Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki is a writer, editor & publisher in Nigeria. He's won the Nebula, Otherwise, Locus, BFA & WFA, & been a finalist in the Hugo, Sturgeon, BSFA & NAACP Image awards. He was a GoH at the Afrofuturism themed ICFA 43, where he coined the genre label, Afropantheology.
Kɛrozin Lamp Kurfi by Victor Forna
Apex Magazine, 2023
Victor Forna is a Sierra Leonean writer residing in Freetown. He has been published or has forthcoming works in Apex Magazine, Nightmare Magazine, Strange Horizons, and elsewhere. His stories have earned recognition, being shortlisted for the Short Story Day Africa and Isele Prizes. He's an alumnus of the 2022 AKO Caine Prize Writing Workshop.
Like Stars Daring to Shine by Somoto Iheuze
Fireside Fiction 2022 and Escape Pod 2023
Somto Ihezue is a Nigerian–Igbo writer, acquiring editor, and filmmaker. His work was shortlisted for the British Fantasy Award (Sydney J. Bounds) for Best New Writer, the Afritondo Short Story Prize, the Utopia Awards, and has equally been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, the British Science Fiction Award, and the Nommo Awards.
Loom by Solomon Uhiara
Dark Matter Magazine, 2022
Solomon Uhiara is a Speculative fiction writer, conceptual photographer, and Fire Fighter from Nigeria. He studied Bio-Resources Engineering. His works are published in several issues of Dark Matter Magazine, Omenana, African Writer, Starline, etc. His story has been performed by Ato Essandoh. Solomon likes machines and music.
My Mother's Love by Naomi Eselojor
Hexagon, 2022
Naomi Eselojor is a speculative fiction writer from Nigeria. She has won the Utopian award and the Wilson Okereke’s prize, and is shortlisted for the Nommo awards. Her works are in Flame Tree Press, Android press, Omenana Magazine, Lolwe, Hexagon Magazine, Improbable press, Dark Matter Magazine and elsewhere.
Osimiri by Chinaza Eziaghighala
British Science Fiction Association’s Fission 2 Vol 1 Anthology.
Chinaza Eziaghighala is a Medical Doctor and Storyteller. She is a University of Iowa International Writing Program and Voodoonauts Alum. CHIMERA, her debut novella, is available from Nosetouch Press. She is a Filmmaker that has written for AMVCA Award-winning TV show Itura. She won the 2022 Horror Writers Association Diversity Grant and 2022 YWCA Short Story Writer of the Year Award.
The Way of Baa'gh by Cheryl S. Ntumy
Published in Mothersound: The Sauútiverse Anthology, Android Press, 2023
Cheryl S. Ntumy is a Ghanaian writer of speculative fiction, YA fiction and romance. Her work has appeared in FIYAH Literary Magazine, Apex Magazine; Will This be a Problem and Botswana Women Write, among others, and shortlised for the Nommo Awards, the Commonwealth Writers Short Story Prize and the Miles Morland Foundation Scholarship. She is part of the Sauútiverse Collective and a member of Petlo Literary Arts,