In Nigeria, persecution of LGBTQ persons rarely begins with public arrests or visible acts of violence. More often, it starts quietly within homes, friendships, and places of worship—spaces meant to provide safety but which instead become sources of fear.

From an early age, many LGBTQ individuals learn to suppress parts of themselves, aware that difference is seldom tolerated. When suspicion arises, friends are often the first to turn hostile. Jokes give way to insults. Private conversations are repeated publicly. Trust is replaced by scrutiny, mockery, and betrayal. A single disclosure by someone once trusted can be enough to expose an individual to lasting harm.

Families, expected to offer protection, frequently become agents of persecution. Parents and relatives may react with denial, shame, anger, or fear of social judgment. Some LGBTQ persons are subjected to verbal abuse, forced prayers, exorcisms, or so-called “deliverance” rituals. Others experience physical violence, confinement, disownment, or expulsion from their homes. These acts are often justified as correction or concern, but their effect is punishment, trauma, and deep psychological injury. For many, home becomes unsafe without warning.

The wider society reinforces this hostility. Neighbors participate through gossip, intimidation, and public humiliation. Religious rhetoric may portray LGBTQ persons as immoral or dangerous, encouraging rejection rather than compassion. In workplaces, dismissals occur quietly and without explanation. Housing becomes precarious as landlords evict tenants to avoid association or scrutiny. Law-enforcement agencies, rather than offering protection, may harass, extort, or detain individuals based on rumors, appearance, or unverified accusations.

The legal environment intensifies these dangers.
Criminalization legitimizes abuse and emboldens perpetrators, creating an atmosphere in which violence and discrimination feel justified. Once a person is labeled, there is rarely an opportunity for defense. Accusations alone can trigger mob violence, arbitrary detention, or forced displacement. In this climate, silence becomes a survival strategy—not because it offers safety, but because speaking out often leads to greater risk.

Persecution is not always loud or immediate. More often, it is gradual and relentless: social isolation, loss of livelihood, constant fear, and enduring psychological harm. LGBTQ persons are pushed to the margins of society, treated as less than human, and denied the basic dignity of belonging. Many learn to carefully regulate their speech, behavior, and relationships, knowing that a single misstep could expose them.

Despite these conditions, many endure quietly. Some flee their communities in search of safety. Others live double lives, concealing their identities to survive. A few document their experiences, hoping their stories might one day be acknowledged. What unites them is not defiance or provocation, but the simple desire to live safely, honestly, and without fear.

For many LGBTQ individuals in Nigeria, persecution does not begin with strangers or state institutions. It begins with rejection at home and spreads outward—unchecked, normalized, and sustained by silence.

Because of legal and social risks, relatively few mainstream Nigerian celebrities speak openly about LGBTQ rights compared to other countries — but below are some of the more notable examples of support or positive commentary within the entertainment and public sphere who have openly thrown their weights behind LGBTQ despite all odds:

Tonto Dikeh (Nollywood Actress)
In 2019, Tonto Dikeh posted on Instagram in response to homophobic violence against an actor abroad:
“Sending you Love and Light… No one should suffer because they love differently… I know what the Bible says about this AND I ALSO KNOW WHAT THAT SAME BIBLE SAYS ABOUT THE OTHER SINS WE (YOU AND I) COMMIT SHAMELESSLY… #say no to homophobia.”
She emphasised that people shouldn’t be attacked or hated because of how they love, even while acknowledging religious discussion.

Alexx Ekubo (Nollywood Actor)
Alexx Ekubo wrote an open letter urging Nigerians to be more tolerant:
“Learn to live & let live, if a person wants to be gay, let them be gay in peace… let’s allow people to be free & comfortable with their sexual preference, stop the name-calling & shaming.”
In that message he called for respect for personal choices and lifestyles — even though he also stated personally he is not gay.

Kiss Daniel (Singer)
In 2015 after same-sex marriage was legalised in the U.S., Kiss Daniel posted on social media:
“Straight or G@y, what matters is we’ve got a heart that can love. Love is love and love always wins.”
This phrasing (“Love is love”) was widely shared and interpreted as a pro-tolerance sentiment — though he later distanced himself from that wording.

M.I Abaga (Rapper)
M.I has publicly condemned Nigeria’s anti-same-sex marriage law (Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act) and said:
There is nothing absolutely wrong with being gay or lesbian, and LGBTQ people have a right to live freely.
(This quote is a paraphrase of his statements defending basic dignity and freedom over discrimination.)
Truly the world is a global village which is revolving and evolving,it should be noted that Love is what binds us together and we should learn to live and tolerate one another irrespective of our differences.