In a disturbing revelation that underscores the depth of academic abuse in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions, over 50 lecturers have faced disciplinary actions ranging from suspension to outright dismissal for sexual misconduct between April 2021 and April 2025. The figures, drawn from reports across the federation, paint a grim picture of systemic exploitation behind the walls of the nation’s universities and polytechnics.
Among the latest institutions to be rocked by scandal are Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), the Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), and the Federal University Lokoja (FULokoja), where high-profile dismissals have rekindled national outrage.
Despite the Senate passing a landmark bill in 2021 prescribing a 21-year jail term for educators found guilty of sexual harassment, the legislation remains in legal limbo — unsigned and unenforced. The vacuum in accountability has emboldened predators and silenced victims, many of whom are afraid to come forward for fear of victim-blaming or academic sabotage.
“This is not just a breach of professional ethics — it is a crime against humanity,” says Amina Yusuf, a survivor and gender rights advocate. “These predators weaponize grades and hold futures hostage, yet they walk free because the system shields them.”
The Nigerian academic space has long been plagued by allegations of sex-for-grades, a practice that has turned lecture halls into battlegrounds for vulnerable students, especially women. While institutions periodically announce sanctions, many believe the punishments are mere smokescreens for deeper institutional complicity.
To address this rot, civil society groups and student unions are calling for the immediate activation of anonymous digital platforms to report sexual harassment. They argue that only a system that protects whistleblowers and punishes enablers can end the reign of impunity.
Until the bill is signed into law and the culture of silence shattered, thousands of students will remain at the mercy of those meant to nurture their academic growth — proving once again that in Nigeria, getting an education should not mean selling your dignity.