8 African Texts Made it to the Shortlist for the 2023 British Science Fiction Awards

Eight African texts written by African authors have been shortlisted for the 2023 British Science Fiction Awards. Out of the eight texts, three belong to Nigerian author Wole Talabi – a remarkable achievement indeed! The other selected authors include Eugen Bacon, Suyi Davies Okungbowa, and Chinelo Onwualu.

The BSFA Awards have been presented annually since 1970. The awards are voted on by members of the British Science Fiction Association and by the members of the year’s Eastercon, the national science fiction convention, held since 1955. This year’s Eastercon, Levitation, will be at the Telford International Centre, March 29 to April 1, where the winners will be announced.

BSFA members and attendees of the convention Levitation 2024 may vote for the winners of the award. The voting form is available here, and will close on March 29.

We covered the BSFA longlist earlier this year, where a whopping 34 African texts were on the list. Now it’s time to reveal the much-anticipated shortlist where African authors definitely did not disappoint.

See the shortlist below:

Best Collection

Mothersound: The Sauútiverse Anthology – Edited by Wole Talabi

Best Non-Fiction (Long)

Ex Marginalia: Essays on Writing Speculative Fiction by Persons of Color – Chinelo Onwualu

Best Novel

Shigidi And The Brass Head Of Obalufon – Wole Talabi

Best Short Fiction

“Lady Koi Koi: A Book Report” – Suyi Davies Okungbowa (Apex Magazine)

Best Short Non-Fiction

“Dominant Themes in Afro-Centric Fiction” – Eugen Bacon (Aurealis)

“Exposition Tax: The hidden burden of writing from the margins” – Suyi Davies Okungbowa (Hydra House)

“Prisoners In The Temple Of The Muses” – Wole Talabi (Anciillary Review of Books)

Best Shorter Fiction

“Broken Paradise” – Eugen Bacon (Luna Press)