Age of consent in Africa

Age of consent for heterosexual sex in Africa
  13
  14
  15
  16
  17
  18
  must be married
  no data available

The age of consent in Africa for sexual activity varies by jurisdiction across the continent, codified in laws which may also stipulate the specific activities that are permitted or the gender of participants for different ages. Other variables may exist, such as close-in-age exemptions.

Six nations in Africa (Benin, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Niger and Madagascar) have a higher age of consent for same-sex sexual relations than opposite-sex ones; every other African country either has an equal age of consent for both acts or bans homosexual acts altogether regardless of age.

The highlighted age refers to an age at or above which an individual can engage in unfettered sexual relations with another person who is also at or above that age. Other variables are stated when relevant.