Nigerian Senate passes sexual harassment prevention bill in education
The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has passed the “Sexual Harassment of Students (Prevention and Prohibition) Bill, 2025” (HB. 1597), marking a major step in legal protection for students in Nigerian institutions.
Under the provisions of the bill, educators who sexually harass students in tertiary institutions may face between five and fourteen years in prison for the most egregious offences, with no option of fine. For less severe offences listed in the legislation, the term ranges from two to five years imprisonment, likewise without a fine option.
The legislation also empowers students to initiate civil action for breach of fiduciary duty by an educator, moving beyond criminal sanctions to allow separate legal recourse via civil court. Acts defined under the bill include demanding sexual favours in exchange for academic benefits, making unwanted advances, sending sexually explicit materials to students, and unwanted touching or other sexual conduct.
The bill explicitly states that consent is not a defence in instances where an educator-student relationship exists, and the only valid defence is if the educator and student are legally married. It also mandates that once criminal proceedings are underway under the law, educational institutions cannot initiate parallel disciplinary proceedings on the same matter until the court case concludes.
During the debate, several senators argued that the scope of the law should be expanded to cover sexual harassment in workplaces and other non-educational settings, not just schools and tertiary institutions. Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin explained that the bill before the Senate is a concurrence bill from the House of Representatives, and as such its scope could not be substantially changed at this stage.
With the Senate’s approval, the bill will now be sent to the President for assent before it becomes law.
