Cheating in Africa: Which Countries Have the Most Affairs?

Infidelity isn’t just a bedroom betrayal—it’s a cultural mirror. Across Africa, where tradition meets modern desire, cheating exposes more than lust. It tells stories of power, poverty, shifting gender roles, and how societies define love and loyalty.

So, which African countries top the charts when it comes to unfaithfulness? Let’s break it down.

South Africa: A Nation of Side Lovers

South Africa wears the crown as one of the most adulterous countries in the world. Research shows that 58% of South African men and 51% of women admitted to marital infidelity (Insider Monkey’s adultery survey).

Cheating is also one of the leading causes of divorce in South Africa. In cities like Johannesburg and Cape Town, sugar-daddy culture and Escort sites blur the lines between love, lust, and loyalty—making infidelity almost mainstream.

Nigeria: Where Women Flip the Script

Nigeria isn’t just Africa’s largest economy—it also ranks among the highest in infidelity rates. A controversial survey claimed that 62% of Nigerian women admitted to cheating (IJSRED study on marital infidelity).

In Lagos and Abuja, “side relationships” are openly joked about, but they also reflect survival and gender dynamics. Many women engage in affairs not only for desire but also for financial support, emotional attention, or to reclaim power in male-dominated marriages.

Kenya: A Cheating Nation

Kenya’s infidelity numbers shocked even the researchers. A national survey revealed 35% of men and 19% of women admitted to extramarital affairs in the past year (KNBS).

Breaking it down further:

In Narok County, 61% of men confessed to cheating.
In Murang’a, 11% of women admitted to extramarital sex.

And the capital is no saint either. Nairobi alone recorded 39% of men and 23% of women admitting to infidelity, making it one of East Africa’s most unfaithful cities.

These figures show that cheating isn’t confined to the countryside—it thrives in urban centers, where nightlife, anonymity, and digital dating make maintaining a double life easier.

Malawi: Quiet Countryside, Loud Secrets

In rural Malawi, a study found 20% of husbands admitted to affairs, compared to just 2–3% of wives (National Library of Medicine study).

The gap reflects both behavior and stigma. Men brag, women hide. Infidelity here is less about love triangles and more about gendered silence.

Ghana, Cameroon & Sierra Leone: When Infidelity Fills Emotional Voids

Infidelity in West Africa is often tied to fertility struggles. Research shows that involuntarily childless women in Ghana, Cameroon, and Sierra Leone were twice as likely to cheat compared to mothers (PubMed fertility and infidelity study).

Here, affairs aren’t just about desire—they’re sometimes desperate attempts to prove fertility, escape stigma, or find comfort outside traditional marriages.

Africa vs. the World: Who Cheats More?

Globally, cheating rates are just as eye-opening. Here are the Top 7 most unfaithful countries worldwide:

Thailand – 51%
Denmark – 46%
Germany – 45%
Italy – 45%
France – 43%
Norway – 41%
Belgium – 40%

(World Population Review, Nation Thailand)

Compared to these numbers, Africa is no slouch: South Africa and Nigeria’s reported rates place them firmly among the world’s most unfaithful nations.

Country	% Who Cheats	Source
Thailand	51%	Source
Denmark	46%	Source
Germany	45%	Source
Italy	45%	Source
France	43%	Source
Norway	41%	Source
Belgium	40%	Source
South Africa	58% (men), 51% (women)	Source
Nigeria	62% (women)	Source
Kenya	35% (men), 19% (women)	Source
Nairobi	39% (men), 23% (women)	Source
Malawi	20% (men), 2–3% (women)	Source
Ghana/Cameroon/Sierra Leone	2x higher among childless women	Source

Why Africa Cheats: Beyond the Bedroom

Infidelity in Africa isn’t just about lust—it’s layered:

Economics: Poverty drives transactional relationships, while wealth fuels “luxury” affairs.
Gender Power: Men cheat more openly, but women’s infidelity rates are climbing as gender roles shift.
Cultural Norms: For men, cheating often carries little stigma; for women, it can ruin reputations.
Emotional Needs: Fertility struggles, neglect, or unfulfilling marriages fuel affairs.
Technology: Apps, social media, and even private Telegram groups make secrecy easy.

Final Word: Love, Lust, and Lies

Infidelity in Africa is more than gossip—it’s a reflection of deeper cracks in relationships, economies, and cultures. From South Africa’s 58% cheating men to Nairobi’s 39% wandering husbands, the statistics don’t just expose betrayal—they reveal the realities couples live with daily.

Cheating might be framed as moral failure, but behind the numbers are human stories of desire, pressure, and unmet needs. And maybe that’s the truth Africa—and the world—still struggles to admit.

For more raw truths about African sexuality, visit Erotic Africa.