The Locus Science Fiction Foundation has announced the top ten finalists for the 2025 Locus Awards, highlighting a significant presence of African authors across multiple categories.
Nigerian writer Wole Talabi, Botswana author Tlotlo Tsamaase, Nigerian-American author Nnedi Okorafor, and Tanzanian-Australian writer Eugen Bacon have been recognized for their outstanding contributions to speculative fiction.
Wole Talabi is a finalist in the Novelette category for his story “Encore,” featured in Deep Dream: Science Fiction Exploring the Future of Art. Additionally, his collection Convergence Problems (DAW) is nominated in the Collection category. Talabi, an engineer and writer from Nigeria, has previously been a finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus awards, and has won the Sidewise Award for Alternate History.
Tlotlo Tsamaase’s Womb City (Erewhon) has earned her a spot among the top ten finalists in the First Novel category. Tsamaase, a Motswana speculative fiction writer and poet, has had her stories and poems nominated for or won numerous awards.
Nnedi Okorafor’s novella She Who Knows (DAW) is a finalist in the Novella category. Okorafor, known for her works that explore African culture and mythology, continues to be a prominent figure in the genre.
Eugen Bacon’s novelette “Joanna’s Bodies,” published in Psychopomp, is among the finalists in the Novelette category. Bacon, a Tanzanian-Australian author, is celebrated for her contributions to speculative fiction and her efforts to voice out African voices in the genre.
The winners of the 2025 Locus Awards will be announced on June 21, 2025, during an in-person ceremony at the historic Nile Hall in Preservation Park, downtown Oakland, California.
The event will be hosted by MC Gail Carriger and will feature special guests Tochi Onyebuchi and Sarah Gailey, along with local author Kemi Ashing-Giwa and artist Stephanie Law. The program includes a limited-seating workshop with Henry Lien, a catered reception, author readings, panels with leading authors, and more.
Tickets for the ceremony, as well as commemorative t-shirts, are currently available for purchase.
For the complete list of finalists and more information, visit Locus Magazine’s website.
Bakare Oluwatobiloba
I write to educate, motivate and define history with literature. Just being me!
