The African Speculative Fiction Society (ASFS) has announced the shortlist for the 2026 Nommo Awards at LAcon V — the 84th World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon), to a worldwide audience.
Nommo Awards is the premier pan-African prize recognising excellence in speculative fiction.
The announcement was made during a special session as part of ASFS’s largest-ever presence at Worldcon, with multiple events spanning panels, workshops, and showcases. This year’s lineup included sessions on the African graphic novel ecosystem and going borderless, on how to archive the future, the future of work in the age of AI, and a spotlight on the Sauúti Collective, which emerged from the ASFS membership. ASFS will also be delivering two immersive workshops on Creative Worldbuilding and De-Risking Research through Fiction as part of its Applied African SF initiative.
The shortlist announcement also marked a historic milestone: the ASFS has officially transitioned to a Community Interest Company (CIC), locking its assets and ambitions into the community it serves.
“This is more than a legal restructuring – it is a philosophical statement,” said Muna Khogali, one of the Directors of ASFS. “We are no longer just an organisation; we are a steward. The infrastructure we build belongs to the community, not to any individual. This year, we are building the Borderless Fellowship, launching a Digital Archive to preserve African speculative fiction for future generations, and taking our Applied African SF methodology into universities and policy spaces, using fiction as a tool to de-risk research and ask better questions about climate, technology, and justice.”
The shortlist was announced by Gabrielle Emem Harry, the 2024 Nommo Award winner for Best Short Story for “A Name Is a Plea and a Prophecy.”
This year’s shortlist features 20 works across four categories, with 24 authors and creators represented – a testament to the creative range and format fluency that defines African speculative fiction today.
The 2026 Nommo Awards Shortlist:
Ilube Award for Best Novel (Alphabetical):
Nkereuwem Albert, The Bone River
Marvellous Michael Anson, Firstborn of the Sun
M.H. Ayinde, A Song of Legends Lost
Nnedi Okorafor, Death of the Author
Paul Olisaeloka Anozie, Black Navel
T.L. Huchu, Secrets of the First School
Novella (Alphabetical):
Moses Ose Utomi, The Memory of the Ogisi
Nnedi Okorafor, One Way Witch
Tobi Ogundiran, At the Fount of Creation
Short Story (Alphabetical):
Adelehin Ijasan, A Heap of Petrified Gods
Kevin Rigathi, If Memory Serves
Plangdi Neple, Full, Empty Houses
Moustapha Mbacké Diop, Apostasy in Fruit
Somto Ihezue, We Begin Where Infinity Ends
T.L. Huchu, The Cancellation of Michael Z
Graphic Novel (Alphabetical):
John Uche and Francis Goodluck, Celestial Eyes Vol. 2: The Second Cycle
Owoade Ifeoluwa, Hounds and Jackals
Gerald Vreden and Hakeem Rafai, Rise of The Mafu #1: The Awakening
Juni Ba, The Fables of Erlking Wood
John Uche, Cuisel Peach and Lord Blue with Stone Otor, Francis Goodluck, Lord Gabriel Onche and Jeremiah Abah, Worlds: A One-shot Anthology
ASFS members will now vote for the winners, which will be announced later this year. Voting opens Monday 31 August and closes 1 November 2026. The winners will be announced in a ceremony at the 14th Ake Arts & Book Festival in Lagos, Nigeria in
“Our members nominate and vote — this is a community-driven process,” Stephen Embleton said, Co-Director of ASFS, “These shortlists represent the extraordinary range of African imagination, from epic novels to intimate short fiction, bold novellas to vibrant graphic novels. They challenge conventions, explore complex themes, and experiment with form.”
The ASFS also used the occasion to invite donors, partners, and supporters to visit www.africansfs.com to contribute to its growing infrastructure— including the Borderless Fellowship, the Digital Archive, and its skills and mentorship programs for its members.