Senate Passes Bill Prescribing 14-Year Jail Term for Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Institutions

The Nigerian Senate has passed a bill prescribing a jail term of up to 14 years without an option of a fine for educators convicted of sexually harassing students in tertiary institutions.

The Sexual Harassment of Students (Prevention and Prohibition) Bill, 2025, which was presented for concurrence by Deputy Senate Leader Lola Ashiru on Wednesday, aims to protect students from misconduct and uphold ethical standards in academia.

According to the law, “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.” For other specified offences, the bill mandates a prison sentence of two to five years, also without a fine.

The legislation outlines specific offences, including demanding sexual favours, making unwanted sexual advances, and inappropriate physical contact. It states that marriage is the only defence and that consent is invalid where a power imbalance exists.

During the debate, some lawmakers argued for expanding the bill’s scope beyond academic settings. Senator Adams Oshiomhole contended, “We can use one stone to kill all the mad birds. There is no need to limit sexual harassment to students. It should include workplaces and any other location, because the evil is the same. We should craft the law in such a way that it has a universal application.”

Senator Titus Zam described the bill as “too restrictive,” arguing it should not be confined to universities. Echoing this, Senator Anthony Ani stated, “It is everywhere. So, we have to come up with a law that is very encompassing, that takes care of sexual harassment in its entirety.”

Presiding over the plenary, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin noted that the bill had already been passed by the House of Representatives and that existing legislation addresses workplace harassment. The bill was subsequently read for the third time and passed.