A growing number of West African countries are implementing or strengthening anti-LGBTQ+ laws, a trend that activists attribute to political opportunism and a global pushback against LGBTQ+ rights.

These legislative changes are occurring amidst local political pressures and a broader international climate that has seen increased opposition to LGBTQ+ advocacy. The new or harsher laws are often framed by leaders as necessary for maintaining national sovereignty or upholding traditional values, but campaigners argue they serve to consolidate political power.

In recent months, Senegal significantly increased its penalties, doubling the maximum prison sentence for gay sex to 10 years and criminalizing the "promotion" of homosexuality. Niger outlawed same-sex intimacy for the first time in February. Mali and Burkina Faso, both now under military juntas, have also criminalized same-sex relations within the last two years. Ghana, which already has laws against gay sex, recently passed a bill criminalizing LGBTQ+ "activities," though it awaits presidential signature.

Activists suggest that these moves are often driven by leaders seeking easy scapegoats to maintain power. Anthony Oluoch of Pan Africa ILGA noted that while religious groups and "family values" campaigns sometimes support these laws, the framing can also be nationalistic, as seen in Burkina Faso, where the law was presented as a stance against Western influence.

"What I see in all of them is a political opportunism," said Oluoch. He highlighted that "underneath that all, there's a lot of transnational reinforcement." The impact on the LGBTQ+ community is already being felt, with activists reporting devastating consequences even before some laws are fully implemented.

An activist from Burkina Faso, speaking anonymously for security reasons, stated that LGBTQ+ people are "the easiest scapegoats to maintain their power." The source also detailed the detention of thirteen transgender women from June to November of the previous year, who reportedly faced beatings while imprisoned without trial by a military unit.

Following the passage of new legislation, there have been at least two sets of convictions. Reports indicate that police are actively entrapping LGBTQ+ individuals through social media platforms, further escalating the risks faced by the community.

The trend raises concerns about human rights and the safety of LGBTQ+ individuals across the region, as political motivations appear to be driving the erosion of rights under the guise of national or traditional values.