By Obinna Uballa
The Senate has passed a new law prescribing up to 14 years imprisonment for lecturers and other educators found guilty of sexually harassing students in tertiary institutions.
The bill, titled Sexual Harassment of Students (Prevention and Prohibition) Bill, 2025 (HB.1597), was presented for concurrence on Wednesday by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central).
The legislation is a response to recurring reports of lecturers coercing students for grades, admission slots, and other academic favours. The problem drew national attention in 2019 after an undercover sex-for-grades investigation exposed systemic abuse across universities in Nigeria and Ghana.
Bamidele said the bill provides a clear legal framework to prevent sexual misconduct on campuses and ensures offenders are punished without the option of fines.
The Senate stated that any educator who commits offences listed under Clause 4 (1–3) will face between 5 and 14 years in prison, while offences under Clause 4 (4–6) carry 2 to 5 years imprisonment, all without the option of a fine.
The bill covers acts such as demanding or soliciting sexual favours, making unwelcome sexual advances, inducing others to commit sexual harassment, and inappropriate physical contact. It also allows victims, or their guardians, to pursue civil claims for breach of fiduciary duty.
Significantly, the bill notes that consent is not a defence in educator-student relationships, adding that only an existing marriage between both parties may be considered a defence.
Some lawmakers, including Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North), argued that the law should also cover workplace settings, but Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, said harassment in workplaces is already captured under other national laws and that the bill was only up for concurrence at this stage.
The bill was subsequently passed for third reading.
The development comes as universities nationwide continue to battle a series of sexual misconduct scandals, with many victims often discouraged from filing complaints due to fear of retaliation, stigma, or weak disciplinary systems.
