Senate passes 14-year jail term for sexual harassment in schools amid rising scandals

In a decisive move against the long-standing “sex-for-grades” menace, the Nigerian Senate has approved a bill prescribing up to 14 years imprisonment for educators found guilty of sexually harassing students in tertiary institutions a sweeping legislation that has already sparked national debate.

The approval, which follows years of public outrage and multiple exposés on sexual misconduct in academia, marks a watershed moment in Nigeria’s fight against abuse of power within learning spaces. The bill, titled “Sexual Harassment of Students (Prevention and Prohibition) Bill, 2025 (HB.1597),” was presented for concurrence by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central).

Bamidele, while defending the bill, said it was crafted to “protect students from all forms of sexual misconduct and abuse within academic environments while providing clear legal frameworks for enforcement and punishment of offenders.”

He further explained that the legislation seeks to uphold “ethical standards in tertiary education, the sanctity of the student-educator fiduciary relationship of authority, dependency, and respect for human dignity.”

Under the new law, offenders will face a minimum of five years and up to 14 years imprisonment without an option of fine for serious violations, while lesser offences attract between two and five years imprisonment, also without a fine.

According to the Senate, “Any person who commits any of the offences or acts specified in clause 4 (1), (2) and (3) of this Bill is guilty of an offence of felony and shall, on conviction, be sentenced to an imprisonment term of up to 14 years but not less than 5 years, without an option of a fine.”

The bill also empowers victims to pursue civil actions for breach of fiduciary duty, stating that the standard of proof shall align with that used in civil proceedings.

It lists a broad range of offences, including demanding sexual favours, making sexual advances, unwanted touching, and inducing others to harass while clearly defining the boundaries of consent. The legislation stresses that marriage between the educator and student is the only legal defence and that consent can not be claimed in any existing educator-student relationship.

Furthermore, complaints can be lodged not only by victims but also by relatives, guardians, or concerned individuals to the Police or Attorney-General, with copies forwarded to the institution’s Independent Sexual Harassment Prohibition Committee.

However, not all lawmakers agreed on the bill’s limited scope. Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Delta North) urged the Senate to broaden the law’s reach beyond academic settings. 

"There is no need to restrict sexual harassment issues to students. We should craft this law in a way that gives it universal application", he said. 

But Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, clarified that the bill had already passed through the House of Representatives and was only open for concurrence, adding that “existing laws already address harassment in workplace settings.”

The Senate eventually adopted and passed the bill for third reading, clearing the final legislative hurdle before presidential assent.

The move comes amid a string of sexual harassment scandals across universities in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Ilorin, Nsukka, Kano, Benin, and Abuja, many of which have exposed systemic exploitation by lecturers. Despite the recurring incidents, few cases have reached conviction due to fear of retaliation, stigma, and weak internal disciplinary systems.

Women’s rights advocates have long called for a robust national legal framework to dismantle this entrenched culture of silence. With this new bill, many see a renewed chance for accountability and perhaps, a turning point in Nigeria’s decades-long fight against sexual abuse in academia.