Niger
Niger criminalized same-sex relations in March 2025, when the military junta adopted Article 25 of the Charter of Refoundation, explicitly prohibiting LGBTQI+ practices in the country. A new Penal Code, surfaced and reported in June 2026, hardens those penalties: 5–10 years' imprisonment plus a fine for same-sex acts between adults; 10–20 years for same-sex marriage; 10–20 years for leading or financing LGBTQI+ organizations. The same code criminalizes changing or attempting to change one's birth sex with 5–10 years plus a fine. No partnership recognition, no anti-discrimination, no documented trans rights. The LGBTQI+ community faces social stigmatization in majority Muslim society. No recognized LGBT organizations exist. Political instability post-July 2023 coup · international sanctions · jihadist presence in remote zones · NOT recommended for LGBT travel · absolute discretion.
LGBTQI+ legal framework · Niger
Social context · Niger
Gay persons experience societal discrimination. Nigerien LGBTQ community faces stigmatization among broader population. Conservative Muslim society. No recognized LGBT organizations.
Source →Neither known LGBTQ+ organisations nor public records of SO/GI-motivated attacks on individuals exist · the absence of data does not imply the absence of violence (systematic under-reporting).
Source →Indicative data as of 2026-06-15. Check the destination country's official sources before travelling.
Experiences
gay friendly · Niger
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Evolution
LGBTQI+ · Niger
New Penal Code hardens penalties against LGBTQI+ people
A new Penal Code from the military junta surfaces and is reported, escalating the March 2025 Charter of Refoundation: 5–10 years' imprisonment plus a fine for same-sex acts, 10–20 years for same-sex marriage and 10–20 years for leading or financing LGBTQI+ organizations.
Penal Code criminalizes gender transition
The same Penal Code criminalizes artificially changing or attempting to change one's birth sex, punishable by 5–10 years' imprisonment plus a fine. It is the first time Niger has expressly penalized gender transition.
Junta criminalizes same-sex relations
The military junta adopts Article 25 of the Charter of Refoundation, explicitly criminalizing same-sex relations and LGBTQI+ practices in Niger for the first time. Penalties of up to 5 years for same-sex acts between adults and up to 20 years for officiating a same-sex ceremony.
Destinations
gay friendly near Niger
If you're going to move around the region, these countries also fit on the route.
Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau decriminalized homosexuality in 1993 with the post-independence penal-code decree (No. 4/93), which omits same-sex offences…
Cape Verde
Cape Verde is one of the most LGBT-tolerant countries in Africa. Same-sex relations have been legal since 2004 with equal age of consent…
São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé and Príncipe decriminalized same-sex relations in 2012 with its Penal Code reform. The age of consent was equalized at 18 by Law…
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