Lawmakers at the Senate
Nigerian Senate has approved a bill prescribing up to 14 years in prison for lecturers and educators found guilty of sexually harassing students in tertiary institutions.
The passage of the bill follows growing reports of lecturers demanding sexual favours in exchange for grades, admissions, or other academic advantages.
The legislation, titled the Sexual Harassment of Students (Prevention and Prohibition) Bill, 2025 (HB.1597), was presented for concurrence by the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Oyelola Ashiru, during Wednesday’s plenary session.
According to Ashiru, the bill seeks to safeguard students from all forms of sexual exploitation and misconduct within academic environments.
“The bill provides clear legal frameworks for the enforcement and punishment of offenders,” he stated.
He added that the legislation aims to “promote and protect ethical standards in tertiary education, preserve the sanctity of the student-educator relationship, and uphold respect for human dignity.”
Under the new law, anyone convicted of offences outlined in Clause 4 (1), (2), and (3) of the bill faces imprisonment of up to 14 years, but not less than 5 years, without an option of a fine.
It further stipulates that individuals found guilty under Clause 4 (4), (5), and (6) will face between 2 and 5 years in prison, also without an option of a fine.
The bill also empowers victims to pursue civil action for breach of fiduciary duty, noting that “the standard of proof shall be the same as in civil proceedings.”
The law criminalises a broad range of conduct, including soliciting sexual favours, making unwanted sexual advances, inducing others to commit acts of harassment, and inappropriate physical contact or gestures.
During deliberations, some lawmakers urged that the scope of the bill be widened. Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North) argued that sexual harassment legislation should not be limited to tertiary institutions.
“There is no need to restrict sexual harassment issues to students. We should craft this law in a way that gives it universal application,” Oshiomhole said.
However, Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, who presided over the session, clarified that the bill had already been passed by the House of Representatives and was only before the Senate for concurrence.
Barau added that existing laws already address workplace harassment and related offences, making the bill’s current focus appropriate.
The Senate subsequently adopted and passed the bill for third reading, marking a major legislative step toward tackling sexual misconduct in Nigeria’s higher education system.
(NAN)
