Serious dating in Africa: country-by-country guides

Every African country has its own marriage rules, customs and risks. These guides bring together, country by country, what you need to know before meeting someone or making a commitment.

Why a guide for each country

Marriage law, the role of the family, legislation on same-sex relationships and the most common scams vary widely between countries. Advice that holds in Dakar may not apply in Nairobi or Cairo.

What each guide contains

Each country page links to four guides: straight dating, gay and lesbian, divorced people, and seniors and retirees. All of them set out safety rules and the official sources to check.

North Africa

West Africa

Central Africa

East Africa and the Horn

Southern Africa

Indian Ocean

Useful platforms and organisations

Bumble – Safety Centre

Bumble's official Safety Centre gathering advice, reporting tools and resources for safer online dating.

Tinder – Safety tips

Tinder's official page offering safety tips before, during and after a first date with someone met online.

Action Fraud (UK) – Romance fraud

UK national fraud reporting centre, with an awareness campaign dedicated to romance scams and their warning signs.

ILGA World

Worldwide federation of LGBTI organisations publishing reference reports on laws and rights in each country.

Indicative list: AfriqueRencontres.com has no commercial link with these organisations. Never send money to someone you only know online.