The Cross River State House of Assembly has passed for second reading a bill seeking to prohibit the solemnisation and recognition of same-sex marriages and civil unions within the state.
The bill passed second reading during plenary on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, following unanimous support from lawmakers who said the proposed legislation reflected their religious, cultural and moral beliefs.
Titled “A Bill for a Law to Prohibit Contract of Marriage or Civil Union Entered into Between Persons of Same Sex, Solemnization of Same, Whether Cultural or in Accordance with Any Statute in Existence, and for Matters Connected Therewith, 2026,” the proposal was sponsored by the member representing Boki II State Constituency, Hilary Bisong, and co-sponsored by 10 other lawmakers.
The bill seeks to prevent the solemnisation and recognition of same-sex marriages and civil unions in Cross River, including unions contracted outside the state or Nigeria.
It proposes that only marriages between a man and a woman should be recognised as valid under state law and that certificates issued for same-sex marriages elsewhere should have no legal effect in Cross River.
Under the proposed law, courts in the state would also be barred from enforcing rights, privileges or benefits arising from same-sex marriages or civil unions, whether formally certified or otherwise.
Leading debate on the bill, Bisong said the proposal was founded on biblical teachings concerning marriage.
He cited Genesis 1:27 and Genesis 2:24, which he said presented marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
The lawmaker also referred to the biblical account of Sodom and Gomorrah and Leviticus 20:13 while arguing that same-sex relationships were contrary to Christian teachings.
According to him, the bill would prevent same-sex marriages and civil unions from enjoying the legal status or benefits attached to marriages recognised in Cross River.
“It also provides that certificates issued for same-sex marriages outside the state will not be recognised within Cross River, and courts in the state shall not enforce benefits arising from such unions, whether certificated or otherwise,” Bisong said.
He maintained that Section 4(7) of the 1999 Constitution empowers a state House of Assembly to enact laws for the peace, order and good government of the state.
The bill also seeks to prohibit the solemnisation of same-sex unions in churches, mosques, courts, traditional shrines and other places of worship or ceremony.
Lawmakers who contributed to the debate supported the general principles of the proposal, describing same-sex unions as inconsistent with their understanding of Cross River’s cultural, religious and family values.
Some members argued that legislation was necessary to discourage the practice and protect what they described as the moral foundations of society.
Speaker of the House, Elvert Ayambem, commended the lawmakers for their contributions and said the Assembly had a responsibility to enact laws reflecting the values of the people it represents.
Ayambem expressed concern over what he described as increasing sexual perversion in the state and said the Assembly would consider stiff penalties to deter violations if the bill eventually becomes law.
He maintained that marriage remained a union between a man and a woman and said the Assembly would resist practices it considered inconsistent with the traditions and religious beliefs of Cross River residents.
Nigeria already has a federal Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act, which prohibits same-sex marriage and civil unions, their solemnisation in places of worship and their recognition in the country.
The Cross River proposal seeks to establish an additional state-level legal framework dealing with the recognition, solemnisation and enforcement of benefits connected with such unions.
Having passed second reading, the bill is expected to undergo further legislative scrutiny before a possible third reading and transmission to the governor for assent.
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