The LeadWay
NIGERIA- The 14-year jail term for sexual harassment offenders in Nigeria is the maximum penalty prescribed under the recently passed Sexual Harassment of Students (Prevention and Prohibition) Bill, 2025.
The Senate recently passed a bill, which gives provision for for 14 years imprisonment for sexual harassment offenders and stiffer penalties for institutions that conceal such heinous acts. The bill entitled, “A Bill for an Act to Prevent, Prohibit and Redress Sexual Harassment of Students in Educational Institutions and Related Matters, 2025” seeks to eradicate all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse of authority by lecturers and others in schools.
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This landmark legislation, which was passed by the Nigerian Senate, is specifically aimed at addressing the persistent issue of sexual abuse and misconduct in the country’s educational institutions.
Key Provisions of the Law
Jail Term: The law introduces a minimum of 5 years imprisonment and a maximum of 14 years imprisonment for anyone found guilty of sexually harassing a student. Crucially, it provides no option of a fine as an alternative to incarceration.
Removal of Consent as a Defence: The bill makes a significant legal change by removing “consent” as a defence in cases where there is a clear power imbalance. This acknowledges the devastating reality that a student cannot genuinely consent to sexual activity with an educator or staff member who holds authority over them.
Scope: The law primarily targets educators, administrators, and staff in tertiary educational institutions (universities, polytechnics, colleges of education) who abuse their position of power over students.
This federal law is a major step in harmonizing punishments across the country, supplementing existing state-level laws such as the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011, and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP) 2015, which many states have adopted.
