N’ Assembly bans sex-for-grades, okays 14-year jail for offenders

The National Assembly on Wednesday passed a landmark bill that criminalises all forms of sexual harassment in Nigeria’s educational institutions, effectively outlawing the notorious “sex-for-grades” culture and prescribing jail terms of up to 14 years for offenders.

The legislation, titled “A Bill for an Act to Prevent, Prohibit and Redress Sexual Harassment of Students in Educational Institutions and for Related Matters, 2025 (HB.1598),” seeks to provide a firm legal framework to end sexual exploitation and abuse of authority by lecturers, administrators, and other staff in the nation’s schools.

The Senate’s concurrence followed the earlier passage of the same bill by the House of Representatives.

Sponsored for concurrence by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, the bill received overwhelming support from lawmakers across party lines during plenary.

Under the new law, educators found guilty of sexually harassing students will face between five and fourteen years in prison, without the option of a fine.

Institutions or administrators that cover up such offences face monetary penalties of up to ₦5 million, while victims are empowered to seek civil remedies against their abusers.

The Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Lola Ashiru, read Senator Bamidele’s report.

In the Lead debate on the bill, Bamidele said it aims to “protect students from all forms of sexual misconduct and abuse within academic environments while providing clear legal frameworks for enforcement and punishment.”

According to him, “This bill will help safeguard the integrity of our educational system and preserve the trust that must exist between teachers and their students. It sends a clear message that the days of impunity in our schools are over.”

Clause 4 of the legislation lists a broad range of acts that constitute sexual harassment.

These include having or demanding sexual intercourse with a student, making sexually suggestive remarks or gestures, sending explicit messages or videos, and touching or pinching a student’s private parts.

The law explicitly states that “consent” is not a defence when a sexual act occurs within a lecturer-student relationship, except in cases where both parties are legally married.

In a move to strengthen accountability, the legislation empowers students to sue offenders for damages in civil courts, even after the conclusion of criminal proceedings.

It also allows complaints to be lodged by the victim, their guardian, lawyer, or any concerned individual with the Nigeria Police Force or the Office of the Attorney-General, with copies forwarded to the school’s management and its Sexual Harassment Prohibition Committee.

Institutions are barred from running parallel disciplinary proceedings once a case is before a court, ensuring that justice is not compromised by internal interference.

Lawmakers hailed the bill as a historic step in protecting young Nigerians and restoring moral discipline in the nation’s schools.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) described it as a “commendable move,” but suggested that its application be expanded beyond schools to workplaces and other sectors.

“Sexual harassment is not limited to students; it’s a societal problem,” he said.

However, the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North), who presided over the session, explained that such amendments could not be accommodated since the bill was a concurrence from the House of Representatives.

He said, “We cannot make substantive changes at this stage. Moreover, there are existing laws that address harassment in workplaces and other environments.”

Ashiru, who stood in for Bamidele during the passage, commended his colleagues for their unanimous support.

He said the legislation marked “a major victory for the protection of young Nigerians in learning environments.”

“This law will not only punish offenders but will serve as a deterrent to those who have made harassment a culture within our schools,” he added.

With the concurrence of both chambers, the bill is now ready for transmission to President Bola Tinubu for assent.

Once signed into law, it will usher in a new legal regime that aims to protect students, hold offenders accountable, and restore public confidence in Nigeria’s educational system.

If assented to by the President, the law is expected to end decades of impunity that have allowed lecturers and academic staff to exploit students sexually in exchange for grades or favours, a practice long condemned as one of the most damaging stains on Nigeria’s higher education system.

With the new law, the National Assembly has drawn a clear line in the sand, signalling that sexual harassment in any form will no longer be tolerated within Nigerian schools. (This Nigeria)