LGBT rights in Northern Nigeria

LGBT rights in Northern Nigeria
Northern Nigeria
Status	Illegal since 1904 (as Northern Nigeria Protectorate)[1]: 34
Penalty	States under Shari'a law: Death (Applies to persons who have consented to jurisdiction of Shari'a courts plus all Muslims) States not under Shari'a law: 14 years' imprisonment
Gender identity	No
Military	No
Discrimination protections	No
Family rights
Recognition of relationships	No recognition of same-sex unions
Restrictions	"The Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act" criminalises all forms of same-sex unions
Adoption	No

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in Northern Nigeria face unique legal and social challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Federal law prohibits all forms of homosexual activities and prescribes up to 14 years imprisonment for those found culpable. While the Maliki form of Shari'a law applied in 12 states have lesser penalty for unmarried persons, it prescribes the death penalty for married individuals.

Nigeria has been widely criticized by human and civil rights organizations, as well as the United Nations, for failing to uphold, and even violating, the rights of LGBT people.