Winners of the 2025 Ignyte Awards have been announced, recognizing outstanding contributions in speculative fiction.
Several Africa writers were among those celebrated across major categories and they are as follows:
Outstanding Novella
- Suyi Davies Okungbowa (Nigeria) – Winner for Lost Ark Dreaming
Outstanding Novelette
- Shingai Njeri Kagunda (Kenya) – Winner for We Who Will Not Die
Outstanding Speculative Poetry
- Fasasi Ridwan (Nigeria) – Winner for Reliving: Post Trauma of the Lekki Tollgate Massacre
Outstanding Creative Nonfiction
- Eugen Bacon (Tanzania/Australia) – Winner for Afro-Centered Futurisms in Our Speculative Fiction (Featuring works by Aline-Mwezi Niyonsenga, Cheryl S. Ntumy, Dilman Dila, Nerine Dorman, Nuzo Onoh, Shingai Njeri Kagunda, Stephen Embleton, Suyi Davies Okungbowa, Tobi Ogundiran and Xan van Rooyen)
Community Award
- Wole Talabi (Nigeria) – Honoured for his Outstanding Efforts in Service of Inclusion and Equitable Practice in Genre
Outstanding Novel (Adult)
- Tlotlo Tsamaase (Botswana) – Finalist for Womb City
- Nalo Hopkinson (Jamaica/Canada) – Finalist for Blackheart Man
Founded in 2020 by FIYAH Literary Magazine, the Ignyte Awards honor the vibrancy and innovation of creators in speculative fiction, particularly those from historically marginalized backgrounds. Presented annually at FIYAHCON, the awards spotlight novels, short fiction, poetry, nonfiction, visual art, and community leadership that push the boundaries of imagination and representation.
Congratulations to all the winners and finalists!
Bakare Oluwatobiloba
I write to educate, motivate and define history with literature. Just being me!
