Impact of Western Donor Funding on Legalizing LGBTQ Rights in Africa: Nigeria in Perspective

Abstract

Africa, deeply rooted in its cultural and religious values, often perceives LGBTQ legislation as a Western imposition, resisting such laws and resulting in the Global North viewing the continent as “non-adhering to human rights”. In response, governmental and non-governmental organizations, along with donor-funded advocates, are working to change attitudes within Africa. This paper, through a historical overview, asserts that some scholars trace Africa’s negative stance towards LGBTQ rights to colonial rule, leading the continent to uphold colonial-era laws ingrained in their cultural and religious values. Furthermore, the paper highlights that Africa’s homophobic stance towards LGBTQ rights has led to Western threats to withhold aid from non-conforming nations as a means to enforce non-African human rights standards. It underscores that in Nigeria, the Samoa Agreement aims to advance LGBTQ rights, and despite some scholars’ support for the agreement, the implicit clauses related to LGBTQ may create grounds for formal legalization, causing future complications due to Nigeria’s strong cultural and religious opposition. The paper concludes that political compromises by Nigerian leaders, divisions along religious and cultural lines, and the presence of LGBTQ communities supported by various organizations underscore the complexity of the issue. Additionally, it recommends establishing rehabilitation centers for LGBTQ individuals to realign their orientations with conforming sexual identities. The paper also suggests that it is crucial for the Nigerian government to balance cultural preservation with addressing global human rights standards when considering international agreements.