Debate has occurred throughout Africa over proposals to legalize same-sex marriage as well as civil unions.
Currently, South Africa is the only African country that performs and recognises same-sex marriage, 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 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 *202314,517,176 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
See also LGBTQ rights in Africa Recognition of same-sex unions in the Americas Recognition of same-sex unions in Asia Recognition of same-sex unions in Europe Recognition of same-sex unions in Oceania
Notes
References