Lagos - Post Report Question and Answers
Is this a good city for LGBT expatriates? Why or why not?
No, not very accepting. No laws protecting them. - Mar 2024
Would be ok I think, though for sure the local culture is homophobic. But in most circles in which expats mingle I doubt it would be a problem. - Aug 2020
It's fine for LGBT expatriates as local attitudes will not affect you by virtue of the privilege you have as an expatriate. For local members of the LGBT community its an entirely different story. - Jul 2020
Our experience as a relatively femme presenting same-sex couple was, on the whole, positive. Many many Nigerians who interacted with us as a couple believed we were sisters (even after we had a child), and we generally did not dissuade them from that misperception. With a few notable exceptions, local staff and those who did get it were surprisingly inclusive and kind, or kept their mouths shut. Our experience with young, wealthy Nigerians was uniformly positive. That said, there is no way we didn't benefit from some level of deference to all the privilege we carried with us as white Americans associated with the Consulate, and I have no idea what it would be like to be single, less gender normative, trans, male, and/or so on. Lagos is giant, and there are definitely existing communities folks could cautiously find and tap into. The primary place the Consulate directs pregnant people towards (George's) for checkups is also a very affordable fertility clinic. - Jun 2019
Local staff are generally very accepting, but I would not feel comfortable being out in public. Nigeria is extremely religious and traditional. - Mar 2018
No. Homosexuality is illegal here and punishable by fines and jail time. There is an underground scene but overt homosexuality is not practiced. - May 2016
Amongst the expat community, no problem. Nigerians are virulently anti-LGBT. After the Supreme Court decision regarding same sex marriage, the media went nuts with anti-LGBT articles. I'd be afraid to tell any locals here. - Nov 2015
Nigerians generally frown on public display of affection, and a bill was recently passed forbidding Gay/Lesbianism. - Dec 2011
No problem within the consulate & expat community. Manifest affection, whether hetero- or homosexual is generally frowned upon in Nigerian culture. - Sep 2008
Nigerians frown upon open affection, but friends who are gay don't seem to have any issues. - May 2008
