African kontris wia homosexuality dey illegal and di implications

Senegal President Bassirou Diomaye Faye don sign one new law wey guarantee 10 years maximum prison term for sexual acts by same-sex couples.

Di law wey di President sign on Tuesday, 31 March also criminalise di "promotion" of homosexuality.

Di reform wey di National Assembly pass on March 11, 2026, bin introduce very clear definition of di acts covered.

Article 319 now clearly state say e include "any sexual or sexually charged act between two persons of di same sex," but also act wey involve dead body or animal.‎

‎Dem send di legislation wey be part of di campaign promise of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko go parliament afta one wave of arrests on top alleged same-sex relationships, wey already dey banned under Senegalese law.

UN official and rights groups bin urge di president say make e no sign am into law, but di govment ignore di international criticism, dem argue say di measures reflect di views of Senegalese pipo.

‎‎Several oda African countries don also introduce tough new laws against di LGBTQ+ community in recent years.

African kontris wia homosexuality dey illegal

64 countries dey wey get laws wey criminalise homosexuality, and nearly half of these dey for Africa.

Some countries, wey include several for Africa, don recently move to decriminalise same-sex unions and improve rights for LGBTQ pipo.

According to Amnesty International, homosexuality still dey illegal for 38 African countries.

Dis na some of di African countries wey LGBTQ dey

Algeria: Same sex activity dey illegal for Algeria. Di law criminalise same-sex sexual activity between men and between women. Di sentence include maximum penalty of three years' imprisonment and a fine. Di Algerian family code specifically limit marriage to heterosexual couples.

Burkina Faso: For September 2025, Burkina Faso transitional parliament bin approve one bill wey ban homosexual acts. Di bill impose punishment of up to five years in jail, and don bicom part of a broader crackdown on same-sex relationships across di continent.

Burundi: President Évariste Ndayishimiye say make homosexuals for im kontri "suppose dey stoned". Homosexual sex dey illegal for Burundi, punishable by up to two years in jail.

Cameroon: Homosexual acts dey punishable by up to five years in prison.

Chad: For August 2017, Chad penal code wey criminalise same-sex intimacy between men and between women bin come into effect for di first time. E dey punishable wit imprisonment for up to 2 years and a fine of between 50,000 and 500,000 FCFA.

Comoros: Homosexual acts sdey punishable by up to two years' imprisonment and a fine. Both men and women dey criminalised under dis law.

Egypt: In Egypt, homosexuality dey highly stigmatised, and for long accuse dey say police dey hunt lgbt pipo. No explicit law dey against homosexuality for di kontri.

Gambia: Homosexual acts dey illegal for The Gambia, MPs bin pass one bill for 2014 wey impose life sentences for "aggravated homosexuality". Although, leading rights groups bin call on di then Gambian President Yahya Jammeh say make e no approve di tough anti-gay legislation.

Gabon: For 2020, Gabon reverse one law wey criminalise homosexuality and make gay sex punishable wit six months in prison plus big fine.

‎Ghana: Dey plan to re-introduce one anti-homosexual bill wey activists say dey threaten basic human rights, safety and freedom.

Kenya: Gay sex dey illegal for Kenya, but di govment dey tolerant of gay pipo - for example, dem give asylum to pipo from oda African countries, wey dey face persecution for dia home countries sake of dia sexual orientation. Kenya President William Ruto also say dia culture and religion no allow same-sex marriages.

Ethiopia: Homosexuality dey illegal for Ethiopia and punishable by penalties wey range from 10 days to three years in prison, according to di UN.

Mali: For October 2024, di National Transitional Council bin adopt one new penal code wey criminalise same-sex sexual activity for up to seven years imprisonment and a fine of 500,000 CFA Francs.

Malawi: For 2015, Malawi bin suspend laws against same-sex relationships pending one decision on weda to repeal di legislation, but currently, homosexual acts carry a maximum sentence of 14 years in jail.

Nigeria: Nigeria govment don tighten laws against homosexuals, same-sex couples fit face up to 14 years in prison. Di law also recommend prison sentences of up to 10 years for anyone wey follow for gay clubs or organisations and for same-sex couples wey publicly show affection.

Morocco: Homosexuality dey illegal for di conservative Muslim kontri, and sexual relations outside marriage also dey punishable.

Sierra Leone: Same-sex sexual activity dey banned for di kontri. Di provision carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Na only men dem dey criminalised under dis law.

South Sudan: Di kontri dey criminalise same sex activity wit up to fourteen years' imprisonment and a fine. Only men dey criminalised under dis law. Trans pipo fit also face prosecution under one 'vagabond' law wey criminalise man wey dey dress as woman wit a maximum penalty of three months' imprisonment and a fine.

Sudan: Sudan dey criminalise same-sex sexual activity between men and between women. Sentences include a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

Tanzania: Homosexual acts dey illegal for di East African nation and punishable by up to 30 years in jail.

Togo: Togo dey criminalise same-sex sexual activity between men and between women wit a maximum penalty of three years' imprisonment plus fine

Tunisia: Homosexuality dey illegal and unacceptable for Tunisia. Gay and lesbian sex dey punishable by up to three years in prison but for 2017, di govment say dem go stop to conduct forced anal examinations for pipo dem suspect of homosexuality.

Uganda: For 2023, Uganda bin vote in some of di world harshest anti-homosexual legislation wey mean say pipo wey engage for same-sex relationships fit dey sentenced to death in certain circumstances. Di law bin prompt widespread condemnation.

Zambia: Homosexuality dey illegal for di deeply conservative kontri, wia British colonial-era laws on homosexuality still apply. For 2020, President Edgar Lungu bin pardon two men wey dey sentenced to jail for 15 years on top accuse of di act, afta e trigger diplomatic palava wit di US.

Zimbabwe: Homosexuality dey illegal for Zimbabwe and dia LGBT community bin often face violent persecution during di rule of former President Robert Mugabe, wey bin dey of di position say gay pipo "worse pass pigs and dogs".

Colonial legacy

Colonial legacy

Many of di laws wey dey criminalise homosexual relations originate from colonial times.

And in many places, breaking these laws fit dey punishable by long prison sentences.

Out of di 53 countries for di Commonwealth – a loose association of countries most of dem former British colonies - 29 get laws wey criminalise homosexuality.

Although di original British laws apply only to men, countries wey dey criminalise homosexuality today also get penalties for women wey get sexual relation wit oda women.

Di International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (Ilga) dey monitor di progress of laws wey relate to homosexuality around di world.

Dem say di death penalty na di legally prescribed punishment for same-sex sexual acts for Brunei, Iran, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and for some northern states of Nigeria.

In five countries - Afghanistan, Pakistan, Qatar, Somalia, and di United Arab Emirates - no legal clarity dey and dem fit apply di death penalty.

Sudan bin cancel di death penalty for consensual same-sex sexual acts for 2020.

Some observers note say di risk of prosecution for some places dey minimal.

For example, one 2017 report on Jamaica by di UK Home Office tok say Jamaica dey regarded as a homophobic society, but "authorities no dey actively try to prosecute LGBT persons".

Activist groups say di ability of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) organisations to carry out advocacy work dey restricted.

Changing trend

All over di world, di law dey change towards criminalising same-sex acts.

So far, 33 countries for di world recognise same-sex marriages, and 34 odas provide for some partnership recognition for same-sex couples, Ilga tok.

In Africa, same-sex marriages and civil unions dey only legal in South Africa, plus di French Islands of Mayotte and Reunion.