About Nigeria

official name: Federal Republic of Nigeria
capital: Abuja
head of state: Umaru Musa Yar- dua (since 29 May 2007)
state: multi party democracy
population: 135,031,164 
independence: from Britain in 1960
languages: English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani
religion: Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%
currency: naira (NGN)
media: Today or Vanguard

Legal wise

status of homosexuality: illegal
age of consent: 13
laws covering homosexual activity: Homosexuality is outlawed in the Nigerian penal code and Muslim law. However, in northern states under Muslim law the punishment can be death; in the civil penal code homosexuality can carry up to a 14-year prison sentence.

Recognition of same-sex couples
The powerful Anglican Church has been pressuring the government to ban same-sex marriages. In February 2006, the government proposed a bill calling for five years imprisonment for anyone who undergoes, "performs, witnesses, aids, or abets" a same-sex marriage. It would also prohibit any display of a "same-sex amorous relationship" and adoption of children by gays or lesbians. The bill is expected to receive little or no opposition in Parliament. The same-sex marriage ban would make Nigeria the second country in Africa to criminalize such unions. In 2005, the Ugandan constitution was amended to ban same-sex marriage.

Proposed Ban on Human Rights
A bill proposed by the government in February 2006 would call for five years imprisonment for involvement in public advocacy or associations supporting the rights of lesbian and gay people. Included in the bill is a proposal to ban any form of relationship with a gay person The intent of the bill is to ban anything remotely associated with being 'gay' or just gay in the country. In February 2006, the United States State Department condemned the proposal. In March 2006, 16 international human rights groups signed a letter condemning the bill, calling it a violation of the freedoms of expression, association and assembly guaranteed by international law as well as by the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and a barrier to the struggle against the spread of AIDS. Nigeria has the world's third-highest population of persons with AIDS: 3.6 million Nigerians are infected with HIV.

Source: Wikipedia

Communication

mainline telephones: 1,223,300 (2005)
cellular telephones: 21,571,131 (2006)
internet country code: .ng
internet hosts: 1,549 (2006)
internet users: 5 million (2005)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 83, FM 36, shortwave 11 (2001).
Television broadcast stations: 3 (the government controls 2 broadcasting stations and 15 repeater stations) (2002). Televisions: 6.9 million (1997).

Links and contacts

Alliance Rights Nigeria
alliancerightsnigeria@hotmail.com

For more information about Alliance Rights Nigeria you can email the president Erelu Oludare Odumuye: alliancerights_ng@lycos.com

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