Lifestyle

African countries where polygamy is legal

Published

2 years ago

2023/04/28

Polygamy is a practice where a person is married to more than one spouse at the same time. The legality of polygamy varies from country to country, and even within some countries, it may be legal in certain regions or among certain ethnic groups.

In Africa, the countries where polygamy is legal include:

South Africa

Polygamous marriages are recognized under South African customary law.

Eswatini (formerly Swaziland)

Polygamy is legal and socially accepted. In fact, it is common for men to have multiple wives.

Lesotho

Polygamy is legal under customary law, but it is not recognized under the country’s civil law.

Cameroon

Polygamy is legal and socially accepted, particularly in rural areas.

Nigeria

Polygamy is legal and recognized under Islamic law, which applies to the northern part of the country.

Ghana

Polygamy is legal and recognized under customary law, which applies to some ethnic groups in the country.

Senegal

Polygamy is legal and widely practiced, particularly among the Muslim population.

It’s important to note that while polygamy may be legal in these countries, it is not necessarily widely practiced or accepted by all members of society.

Additionally, some countries may have restrictions or conditions on polygamous marriages, such as requiring the consent of all parties involved or imposing limits on the number of spouses a person can have.