The Nigerian Senate has passed a landmark bill prescribing up to 14 years imprisonment for lecturers and educators found guilty of sexually harassing students in tertiary institutions.
The legislation, titled the Sexual Harassment of Students (Prevention and Prohibition) Bill, 2025 (HB.1597), seeks to curb widespread cases of sexual exploitation and abuse in academic environments and protect students from coercion by those in positions of authority.
The bill, presented for concurrence by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), provides a strong legal framework to hold offenders accountable and uphold ethical standards in Nigeria’s higher institutions.
“This Bill promotes respect for human dignity and protects the sanctity of the student–educator relationship,” Bamidele said during plenary.
Under the new law, offenders face between 5 to 14 years in prison without the option of a fine, depending on the gravity of the offence.
Clause 4 of the bill criminalises a wide range of conduct, including demanding sexual favours, making unwanted advances, inducing others to harass, or engaging in inappropriate physical contact.
Importantly, the legislation stipulates that consent is not a defence in cases involving a lecturer and student, except where both parties are legally married.
Students or their representatives can file complaints with the Police, the Attorney-General, or the institution’s Independent Sexual Harassment Prohibition Committee for investigation and prosecution.
The bill also allows victims to pursue civil actions for breach of fiduciary duty, ensuring multiple avenues for justice.
During deliberations, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Delta North) proposed that the bill’s scope be expanded to include sexual harassment in workplaces and other environments.
“We should not restrict this to educational institutions alone. The fight against harassment must be universal,” Oshiomhole urged.
However, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, clarified that the bill was designed specifically for academic institutions and that existing laws already cover workplace harassment.
The bill was subsequently adopted and passed for third reading, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria’s fight against sexual misconduct in schools.
Women’s rights advocates have hailed the legislation as a critical step toward ending the culture of silence that has allowed many cases to go unpunished.
The move follows years of nationwide outrage, particularly after the 2019 “Sex-for-Grades” investigation, which exposed systemic abuse across several Nigerian universities.
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