Death penalty

Nigeria

Death penalty in the 12 northern Sharia states; 14 years' imprisonment elsewhere; the 2014 Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act.

Updated

Same-sex activity
Illegal
Recognition
No legal recognition
Death penalty
In law or applied
Region
Sub-Saharan Africa
Cities covered
2
Confidence
High
Reviewed
September 16, 2026

Sources:UK FCDO travel adviceEqualdexLinks checked Every country in one table

Travel advice

Avoid open conduct and any public affection. In death-penalty jurisdictions do not travel openly as a couple, and check FCDO or State Department advice before any trip.

Check the UK FCDO or US State Department advice before you book.

Where the boys go

Lagos has an underground scene; still Tier 4.

Questions people ask

Safety and the law

Is Nigeria safe for gay travelers?

No. Nigeria is Tier 4 and the death penalty is in law. Death penalty in the 12 northern Sharia states; 14 years' imprisonment elsewhere; the 2014 Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act. Lagos has an underground scene; still Tier 4. Avoid open conduct and any public affection. In death-penalty jurisdictions do not travel openly as a couple, and check FCDO or State Department advice before any trip.

Is it legal to be gay in Nigeria?

No. Same-sex activity is criminalized in Nigeria, with the death penalty in law. Death penalty in the 12 northern Sharia states; 14 years' imprisonment elsewhere; the 2014 Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act. Read more โ†’

Is same-sex marriage legal in Nigeria?

No. Nigeria has no legal recognition of same-sex couples, and being gay itself is a crime.

Does Nigeria have the death penalty for being gay?

In law, yes. In practice prison, which is not the same as safe: keep everything private and do not travel openly as a couple.

Can gay tourists visit Nigeria?

People do, every day, and the law makes no exception for them. Nobody is checked for being gay at the border; what gets travelers into trouble is being open: the apps, public affection and, in some countries, what is on your phone.

Can gay couples hold hands in Nigeria?

No. Public affection between men is exactly what gets travelers into trouble here. Criminalized or dangerous. Not as a couple, not openly.

Are dating apps safe to use in Nigeria?

No. Where being gay is criminalized or persecuted, police have used dating apps to entrap and arrest gay men. Keep them off your phone in Nigeria.

Can two men share a hotel room in Nigeria?

Sharing a room is normal in Nigeria and is not, by itself, what gets people into trouble. Book twin beds, keep affection private and keep the apps off your phone.

Why is Nigeria Tier 4?

Tier 4, don't go, means same-sex activity illegal in law or in practice, or severe persecution. Death-penalty jurisdictions are flagged separately. Where two tiers are plausible we choose the more cautious one. Read more โ†’

The scene

Is there a gay scene in Nigeria?

Nothing open. Lagos has an underground scene; still Tier 4. A scene that has to stay hidden: same-sex activity is criminalized or dangerous in this country, so anything that exists runs on private parties, word of mouth and closed apps. Do not look for a scene. Keep affection private, use apps with care, and check FCDO or State Department advice before you book.

Planning the trip

Which countries are in the same tier as Nigeria?

Tier 4 also holds Guyana, Iran, Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Jamaica and 62 more. Criminalized or dangerous. Not as a couple, not openly. Read more โ†’

How reliable is this rating for Nigeria?

Confidence is high. The tier comes from ILGA World, the ILGA-Europe Rainbow Map, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Human Dignity Trust, the Williams Institute, Pew, the Spartacus Gay Travel Index, Equaldex and court rulings, last reviewed September 2026. Spotted a change? Tell us and it moves. Read more โ†’

Method

Tiered on the legal status and social acceptance of gay men and LGB people using ILGA World, the ILGA-Europe Rainbow Map, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Human Dignity Trust, the Williams Institute, Pew, the Spartacus Gay Travel Index, Equaldex and court rulings. Where two tiers are plausible we choose the more cautious one. How we tier. Last reviewed September 2026.