Recognition of same-sex unions in Africa
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Debate has occurred throughout Africa over proposals to legalize same-sex marriage as well as civil unions.
Same-sex marriage
Limited recognition (foreign residency rights)
No recognition of same-sex couples
Same-sex sexual activity illegal
Prison but not enforced
Prison
Death penalty on books but not enforced
Enforced death penalty
Gender-neutral civil unions.
Civil unions never performed.
Currently, South Africa is the only African country that performs and recognises same-sex marriage,[1] and Namibia is the only other which legally recognizes same-sex marriages performed abroad. In addition, the Spanish regions of the Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla, as well as the Portuguese territory of Madeira, the French départements of Mayotte and Réunion and the British Overseas Territory of St. Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha recognize and perform same-sex marriage.
Civil partnerships or de facto unions are also recognized in South Africa, and the French, Spanish and Portuguese territories.
Current situation
National level
| Status | Country | Legal since | Country population (Last Census count) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marriage (1 country) |
 South Africa |
2006 | 54,956,900 |
| Subtotal | — | — | 54,956,900 (4.5% of the African population) |
| Recognition of foreign marriage (1 country) |
 Namibia[citation needed] |
2023 | 2,113,077 |
| Subtotal | — | — | 2,113,077 (0.17% of the African population) |
| Subtotal | — | — | 57,069,977 (4.67% of the African population) |
| No recognition (44 countries) * same-sex sexual activity illegal | |||
 Algeria * |
— | 40,400,000 | |
 Angola |
— | 25,789,024 | |
 Benin |
— | 10,872,298 | |
 Botswana |
— | 2,250,260 | |
 Cameroon * |
— | 23,439,189 | |
 Cape Verde |
— | 539,560 | |
 Central African Republic |
— | 4,594,621 | |
 Chad * |
— | 13,670,084 | |
 Comoros * |
— | 795,601 | |
 Djibouti |
— | 942,333 | |
 Egypt * |
— | 96,474,100 | |
 Equatorial Guinea |
— | 1,221,490 | |
 Eritrea * |
— | 4,954,645 | |
 Eswatini * |
— | 1,343,098 | |
 Ethiopia * |
— | 102,403,196 | |
 Gambia * |
— | 2,051,363 | |
 Ghana * |
— | 27,043,093 | |
 Guinea * |
— | 12,395,924 | |
 Guinea-Bissau |
— | 1,815,698 | |
 Ivory Coast |
— | 23,740,424 | |
 Lesotho |
— | 2,203,821 | |
 Liberia * |
— | 4,503,000 | |
 Libya * |
— | 6,293,253 | |
 Madagascar |
— | 24,894,551 | |
 Malawi * |
— | 18,091,575 | |
 Mauritania * |
— | 4,301,018 | |
 Mauritius |
— | 1,262,132 | |
 Morocco * |
— | 33,848,242 | |
 Mozambique |
— | 28,829,476 | |
 Niger |
— | 20,672,987 | |
 Nigeria * |
— | 185,989,640 | |
 Republic of the Congo |
— | 5,125,821 | |
 São Tomé and Príncipe |
— | 199,910 | |
 Senegal * |
— | 15,411,614 | |
 Seychelles |
— | 94,228 | |
 Sierra Leone * |
— | 7,075,641 | |
 Somalia * |
— | 14,317,996 | |
 South Sudan * |
— | 12,230,730 | |
 Tanzania * |
— | 55,572,201 | |
 Togo * |
— | 7,965,055 | |
 Tunisia * |
— | 11,304,482 | |
 Zambia * |
— | 16,591,390 | |
| Subtotal | — | — | 873,514,764 (70% of the African population) |
| Constitutional ban on marriage (10 countries) * same-sex sexual activity illegal |
 Burkina Faso * |
— | 20,107,509 |
 Burundi * |
2005 | 10,524,117 | |
 Democratic Republic of the Congo |
2006 | 78,736,153 | |
 Gabon |
2024 | 1,979,786 | |
 Kenya * |
2010 | 49,125,325 | |
 Mali * |
2023 | 14,517,176 | |
 Rwanda |
2003 | 11,262,564 | |
 Sudan * |
— | 39,578,828 | |
 Uganda * |
2005 | 41,487,965 | |
 Zimbabwe * |
2013 | 16,150,362 | |
| Subtotal | — | — | 283,469,785 (23% of the African population) |
| Total | — | — | 1,214,062,706 (99.6% of the African population) |
Partially recognized and unrecognized states
| Status | Country | Since | State population (last estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| No recognition (2 state) * same-sex sexual activity illegal |
 Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic * |
— | 100,000 |
 Somaliland * |
— | 3,508,180 | |
| Subtotal | — | — | 3,608,180 (0.3% of the African population) |
| Total | — | — | 3,608,180 (0.3% of the African population) |
Sub-national level
| Status | Country | Jurisdiction | Legal since | Jurisdiction population (last census) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marriage (9 jurisdictions) |
 France |
 French Southern and Antarctic Lands |
2013 | — |
| Mayotte |
2013 | 256,518 | ||
| Réunion |
2013 | 865,826 | ||
 Portugal |
 Madeira |
2010 | 289,000 | |
 Spain |
 Canary Islands |
2005 | 2,101,924 | |
 Ceuta |
2005 | 82,376 | ||
 Melilla |
2005 | 78,476 | ||
 United Kingdom |
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha |
2017 | 5,633 | |
| Subtotal | — | — | — | 3,679,753 (0.3% of the African population) |
| Total | — | — | — | 3,679,753 (0.3% of the African population) |
Public opinion
Indicates the country/territory has legalised same-sex marriage nationwide
Indicates that same-sex marriage is legal in certain parts of the country
Indicates that the country has civil unions or registered partnerships
Indicates that same-sex sexual activity is illegal
| Country | Pollster | Year | For | Against | Neutral[a] | Margin of error |
Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya |
Pew Research Center | 2023 | 9% | 90% | 1% | ±3.6% | [2] |
| Mozambique (3 cities) |
Lambda | 2017 | 28% (32%) |
60% (68%) |
12% | [3] | |
| Nigeria |
Pew Research Center | 2023 | 2% | 97% | 1% | ±3.6% | [2] |
| South Africa |
Ipsos | 2023 | 57% |
29% [10% support some rights] |
14% | ±3.5% [b] | [4] |