- Senate passes bill prescribing up to 14 years jail term for offenders who harass students
- Educators who demand sex or make sexual advances towards students will face prison with no option of fine.
- The bill states that consent from a student cannot be used as a defence in court.
- Every tertiary school must set up an independent committee to handle sexual harassment complaints.
A strong wave of emotion swept the Senate chamber on Wednesday as lawmakers voted unanimously to end years of intimidation, exploitation and “sex-for-grades” scandals that have stained Nigerian campuses.
The Sexual Harassment of Students (Prevention and Prohibition) Bill, 2025, sponsored by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, passed after intense deliberation. The bill tackles what he described as a “deep culture of silence and coercion” between educators and students.
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Bamidele explained that the new law was designed to rebuild trust in schools and end situations where academic authorities use their position to manipulate or threaten students.
“This law protects the dignity of the classroom and ensures no educator ever weaponizes trust for exploitation,” he said.
Under the Act, any lecturer or academic staff convicted of sexual harassment faces a minimum of five years and up to fourteen years in prison, with no option of fine. Related offenses, such as inappropriate touching, suggestive comments, sending explicit messages, or making sexual demands, carry two to five years imprisonment.
The bill is firm on consent: even if a student “agrees,” the law holds the educator responsible.
The only exception is if both parties are legally married.
The law empowers students or their family members to file a petition directly with the police, the Attorney-General, or the institution’s Independent Sexual Harassment Prohibition Committee. Every tertiary institution must establish such a committee and act immediately on reported cases. Once a case is before a court, no internal panel is allowed to run a parallel process.
The debate was spirited. Senator Adams Oshiomhole pushed for the law to apply to workplaces and government institutions, arguing that harassment exists beyond schools. However, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin clarified that the bill came from the House for concurrence and could not be drastically altered. He added that other laws already protect workers in non-academic environments.
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For decades, allegations of lecturers demanding sexual favors in exchange for grades have trailed many Nigerian schools, often ending without accountability. Analysts see this bill as a turning point that signals zero tolerance.
“This law gives power back to the students,” a female lawmaker said. “No one should sacrifice dignity just to get a degree.”
The bill now heads to the President for assent, expected to officially make it law and set a new standard for behavior within Nigeria’s higher education system.
