They are named after the Nommo, ancestral spirits from Dogon cosmology who take a variety of forms, including appearing on land as fish, walking on their tails.

Established August 15, 2016 with 58 charter members, the ASFS and its Nommo Awards is a body for African science fiction/fantasy professionals.

[4]“The ASFS will provide a place where writers, readers, and scholars can come together to find information, connect with each other, and act as watchdogs for their collective interests.” Chinelo Onwualu, co-founder of Omenana[5]The African Speculative Fiction Society 58 original charter members of 2016.

[8] The logo is an image of the Nommo in Dogon cosmology, twins who on land can take the form of fish walking on their tails.

[9]"The Nommo are mythological ancestral spirits (sometimes referred to as deities) worshipped by the Dogon people of Mali.