"The Nommos are long overdue - an African SF prize for Africans by Africans that honours our stories and how we choose to tell them."
Lauren Beukes, author of Moxyland and Zoo City
The Nommo Awards recognise works of speculative fiction by Africans. We mean science fiction, fantasy, stories of magic and traditional belief, alternative histories, horror and strange stuff that might not fit in anywhere else.
Members of ASFS nominate works and vote for winners.
There are 4 award categories:
The Ilube Award for Best Speculative Fiction Novel by an African – 1000 USD prize
The Nommo Award for Best Speculative Fiction Novella by an African – 500 USD
The Nommo Award for Best Speculative Fiction Short Story by an African – 500 USD
The Nommo Award for Best Speculative Fiction Graphic Novel by Africans – 1000 USD to be shared with artist.
We have prize money thanks to our benefactor Tom Ilube CBE. The first award-giving ceremony was held at Aké Festival in Nigeria, November 2017. The aim after that is to alternate the location of the awards ceremony between West and East Africa.
For more detailed information about the Nommo Awards visit our Resources page.
"Science fiction is important because it looks ahead to African futures. Fantasy and fiction based on traditional tales are important because they link us back to our forebears. Both are important for African development. I wanted to make sure that the explosion of African science fiction gets the recognition it deserves."
Tom Ilube CBE
WATCH: The official launch of the Nommo Awards and ASFS at the 2016 Aké Arts & Book Festival, with Chinelo Onwualu, Shadreck Chikoti and Geoff Ryman. Video courtesy of Aké Arts & Book Festival