The Senate has passed the “Sexual Harassment of Students (Prevention and Prohibition) Bill, 2025” (HB.1597), prescribing between five and fourteen years imprisonment for educators found guilty of sexually harassing students in tertiary institutions.
The bill, presented for concurrence by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) during Wednesday’s plenary, seeks to safeguard students from all forms of sexual misconduct and abuse within academic environments. It also aims to strengthen the legal framework for punishing offenders and uphold ethical standards in tertiary education.
Under the legislation, offences under clauses 4(1)–(3) attract up to 14 years imprisonment, while those under clauses 4(4)–(6) carry up to five years with no option of fine. Victims may also pursue civil action for breach of fiduciary duty, with the same standard of proof applied in civil proceedings.
The bill defines offences to include demanding sexual favours, making unwanted advances, inducing others to harass, and engaging in inappropriate touching or gestures. It further stipulates that marriage between an educator and a student is the only defence, while consent cannot be used as a defence where a teacher-student relationship exists.
Complaints may be lodged by victims, relatives, or other concerned parties to the Police or Attorney-General, with copies forwarded to the institution’s Independent Sexual Harassment Prohibition Committee.
During deliberations, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Delta North) urged lawmakers to expand the scope of the bill beyond academic institutions to include workplaces. However, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, clarified that the Senate’s role was only to concur with the version earlier passed by the House of Representatives, noting that other laws already address workplace harassment.
The bill was subsequently adopted and passed for third reading.
Its passage follows recurring reports of lecturers coercing students for grades and favours an issue spotlighted by the 2019 “Sex-for-Grades” documentary. Women’s rights advocates and civil society groups have welcomed the legislation, describing it as a long-awaited step toward ending systemic abuse and empowering victims to seek justice.
