Ghana’s recent passage of the anti-LGBTQ+ bill has sparked global attention and concern.
The legislation, officially known as the “Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2024,” has elicited widespread condemnation both within and beyond Ghana’s borders.
Across the African continent, a number of countries maintain laws criminalizing various aspects of LGBTQ activities.
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These regulations encompass the criminalization of LGBT individuals, sexual activities between individuals of the same gender, and, in some instances, the gender expression of trans people.
This list outlines the legal frameworks and penalties imposed by different nations, reflecting the diverse and, restrictive attitudes towards LGBTQ communities in Africa.
- Algeria
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males and females
- Highest punishment: Three years imprisonment and a fine of 10,000 Dinars
- Burundi
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males and females
- Highest punishment: Two years imprisonment and a fine of 100,000 Burundian Francs
- Cameroon
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males and females
- Highest punishment: Five years imprisonment and a fine of 200,000 West African CFA Francs
- Chad
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males and females
- Highest punishment: Two years imprisonment and a fine of 500,000 West African CFA Francs
- Comoros
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males and females
- Highest punishment: Five years imprisonment and a fine of 1,000,000 Comorian Francs
- Egypt
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males
- Highest punishment: Three years imprisonment and a fine of 3,000 Lira
- Eritrea
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males and females
- Highest punishment: Three years imprisonment
- Eswatini
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males
- Highest punishment: Imprisonment
- Ethiopia
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males and females
- Highest punishment: One year imprisonment
- Gambia
- Outlaws same-sex relations, unnatural/indecent acts
- Sentence: Fourteen years to life in prison
- Ghana
- Illegalises LGBT persons and activities, and any form of sexual relations between males
- Highest punishment: Up to 3 years in prison
- Guinea
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males and females
- Highest punishment: Three years imprisonment and a fine of 1,000,000 Guinean Francs
- Kenya
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males
- Highest punishment: Fourteen years imprisonment
- Liberia
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males and females
- Highest punishment: One year imprisonment
- Libya
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males and females
- Highest punishment: Five years imprisonment
- Malawi
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males and females, gender expression of trans people
- Highest punishment: Fourteen years imprisonment with corporal punishment
- Mauritania
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males and females
- Imposes the death penalty
- Highest punishment: Death by stoning
- Morocco
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males and females
- Highest punishment: Three years imprisonment and a fine of 1,000 Dirhams
- Namibia
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males
- Highest punishment: Unclear
- Nigeria
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males and females, gender expression of trans people
- Imposes the death penalty
- Highest punishment: Death by stoning
- Senegal
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males and females
- Highest punishment: Five years imprisonment and a fine of 1,500,000 West African CFA Francs
- Sierra Leone
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males
- Highest punishment: Life imprisonment
- Somalia
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males and females
- Highest punishment: Death penalty
- South Sudan
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males, gender expression of trans people
- Highest punishment: Fourteen years imprisonment and a fine
- Sudan
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males and females
- Highest punishment: Life imprisonment
- Tanzania
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males and females
- Highest punishment: Life imprisonment
- The Gambia
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males and females, gender expression of trans people
- Highest punishment: Life imprisonment
- Togo
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males and females
- Highest punishment: Three years imprisonment and a fine of 500,000 West African CFA Francs
- Tunisia
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males and females
- Highest punishment: Three years imprisonment
- Uganda
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males and females
- Highest punishment: Life imprisonment or the death penalty
- Zambia
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males and females
- Highest punishment: Life imprisonment
- Zimbabwe
- Illegalises LGBT persons and any form of sexual relations between males
- Highest punishment: One year imprisonment and a fine
God bless these African countries for not supporting anti lgbtq+
Yes I agree with the Nations that do not support this act. We have to think like human beings right?
Those thinking of visiting Ghana for a bit of BUTTY or Unnatural Sexual practices must forget it NOW. Be careful of public health issues and probably unauthorized Lynching. Don’t Dare try.
Please I suggest that all the African countries must legalize polygamy for the men to marry more than one. Our wife’s are killing us with unnecessary pressure of allegations, refused to respect their husband’s, and etc. When our Africa leader legalize polygamy for us to marry more things will change.
I refer to Ms Nkrimah’s call to President Nana Akufo Addo not to sign the anti gay bill approved by Parliament. Look at the number of African countries who are against lgbtq. Would she say they are inhuman? For her to support such inhuman activities means that she herself is most INHUMAN. Animals which are considered to be irrational do not mate male to male or female to female. To pervert natural sex life for un-natural is the greatest disgrace to the human race. No punishment is too harsh for engaging in lgbtq+
#Some of the law’s under LGPQ+ is so ambiguous
The countries that are calling Ghana’s anti LGBTQ+ inhumane and violation of those people ‘s human rights, yet have violated the human rights of polygamists, violate people’s right of free speech by restricting people from expressing their faith in Christ at certain places, prescribe jail sentence for people who for their faith will not endorse same sex marriage, and jail terms for people who pray for someone’s deliverance who is under demonic (LGBTQ+) oppression and is seeking this prayer to a jail term of up to 10 years. When it comes to gay right they uphold it, even if to the detriment of the majority; but deny the Christian majority, the Muslim Ummah and the Traditional Religious Practitioners any right to express their faith, stand for the Righteousness of God and to protect their children from exposure to diviant behaviors. Double (if not triple) standards.
Thank God,so so many African nations have already kick LGBTQ+ out of their individual countries.then why should our ministers and the president should be shaking as if there will be no tomorrow when that bill is signed!
Oya Mr presido sign that paper make we see our front.thank you oo jale.
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