ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AFP) — A string of west African countries have outlawed same-sex relations in recent months, according to a report by Daily Tribune published June 18, 2026. The legislation further erodes LGBTQ rights on a continent where such protections were already under attack.
According to the article text from Africa CDC cited within the source context, over 1,100 suspected Ebola cases have been counted in recent data; this statistic appears alongside discussions of anti-LGBTQ legislation but is not directly linked by the Daily Tribune report to the laws themselves.
The Daily Tribune attributes forces driving these new laws to politicians playing to a homophobic base and geopolitical factors involving the rejection of "Western values." The article states that these developments reflect a broader trend across Africa where governments are imposing harsher penalties on same-sex relations amid political and cultural debates.
Legislative timeline in West Africa
The report outlines specific legislative actions taken by various nations:
- Uganda: Adopted an anti-LGBTQ law in 2023 that includes the death penalty for "aggravated homosexuality," according to the source.
- Burkina Faso: In September 2025, criminalized same-sex relations with prison terms of up to five years, as stated in the article text.
- Niger: Adopted a new penal code in February (of an unspecified year within the context) imposing jail terms of up to 20 years for same-sex marriage. The source verifies this adoption occurred in that month.
- Senegal: In March, adopted legislation doubling sentences for same-sex relations to five to 10 years.
- Ghana: In May (of an unspecified year within the context), parliament passed a bill imposing prison terms of up to three years for same-sex relations or up to five years for "promoting" them, according to verified details in the source.
Criminalization statistics
The Daily Tribune report notes that out of Africa's 54 countries, only about 20 do not currently criminalize same-sex relations. The article presents this figure as a current status regarding legal frameworks across the continent.