Samoa Agreement: Nigeria-EU deal sparks false claims over LGBT rights

LGBT people already live in fear in Nigeria, where same-sex relationships are illegal – now widespread misinformation about a European Union partnership pact has whipped up further hostility towards the community.

The Samoa Agreement – signed by Africa’s most-populous nation in June – is a co-operation deal between the EU and 79 countries from Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.

The 403-page pact does not mention LGBT rights or same-sex relationships at all – yet many Nigerians believe that by signing it the West African nation has automatically legalised same-sex relationships.

The claims went viral last week when a piece published by Nigeria’s Daily Trust newspaper falsely alleged that the agreement forced underdeveloped and developing countries to recognise LGBT rights as a condition “for getting financial and other supports from advanced societies”.

Even if the agreement referenced such rights, it would still be impossible for the provisions of any international agreement signed by Nigeria to automatically result in changing the law, Nigerian lawyer Ugo Egbujo explained

Under current legislation, adopted a decade ago, same-sex couples face up to 14 years in prison.

“The only way to domesticate a law is to bring it to the National Assembly, where members must deliberate and vote to adopt it. Without doing this, it isn’t a law nor is it justiciable nor enforceable,” Mr Egbujo told the BBC.

“We have clear legislation on same-sex marriage and since its establishment in 2014, it has not been touched. Signing a multilateral agreement will not automatically change that.”