Since the enactment of the Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act (SSMPA) in Nigeria, many studies have shown its deleterious effects on LGBTQ+ individuals in the country. This review synthesizes existing literature on the health and social consequences of the SSMPA. Guided by the Arksey and O'Malley framework and the PRISMA-ScR checklist, searches were conducted across 10 databases, yielding 720 records. Following independent screening by two reviewers and a consensus process, 15 studies were selected, with three additional studies identified through reference hand-searching. Eighteen studies, including one high-quality gray literature study, were included. Research in this area focused disproportionately on gay and bisexual men, and men who have sex with men, leaving significant gaps concerning the experiences of lesbians, bisexual women, and transgender persons in the country. An inductive thematic analysis revealed four themes: a) Pervasive stigma and discrimination; b) Multiple forms of violence; c) Lack of dignified access to care; d) Health disparities, particularly poor mental health, and maladaptive coping. Findings demonstrate the SSMPA has significant health and social consequences for LGBTQ+ Nigerians. Public health efforts aimed at mitigating health disparities must consider the impact of relevant legislation. Further, repealing the SSMPA must be paired with decolonizing and unlearning the normative beliefs about gender and sexuality.
Akadinma et al. (Thu,) studied this question.