At least 50 lecturers across public universities and polytechnics in Nigeria have been implicated in cases of sexual harassment between April 2021 and April 2025, investigations by The Press have revealed.
The affected academics—ranging from junior lecturers to senior professors—have faced a range of disciplinary actions including suspension, dismissal, and in some cases, criminal prosecution. The cases, which span institutions nationwide, underscore the persistent issue of sex-for-grade scandals in Nigeria’s higher education system.
A 2018 World Bank survey by the Women, Business, and the Law project found that 70% of female Nigerian graduates reported experiencing sexual harassment during their studies—often at the hands of classmates and lecturers.
Despite the Nigerian Senate passing a bill in 2021 that recommends a 21-year prison sentence for educators found guilty of sexual exploitation, the bill has not yet been signed into law.
Among the most recent cases, the Governing Council of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, on April 24, 2025, dismissed Dr. Usman Aliyu after he was found guilty of harassing a married postgraduate student, Mrs. Kamila Aliyu. The university’s disciplinary committee confirmed the misconduct following her 2024 petition, which detailed threats to her academic standing.
Just days earlier, on April 14, the Lagos State University of Science and Technology dismissed three lecturers over separate incidents of sexual harassment. They were identified as Mr. Nurudeen Hassan (Mass Communication), Mr. Kareem Arigbabu, and Mr. Olayinka Uthman (Arts & Design).
Federal University, Lokoja, dismissed four lecturers for sexual misconduct in November 2024 and suspended another in May of the same year. In April 2024, a lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Mr. Mfonobong Udoudom, was arrested by police after a viral video showed him allegedly harassing a student. He had already been suspended by the university.
Abia State University suspended Dr. Udochukwu Ndukwe in August 2024 following a sexual harassment allegation, while earlier cases trace back to 2021 when Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) sacked three lecturers for similar misconduct.
In 2021, multiple dismissals were recorded: Federal University Oye-Ekiti, University of Lagos, University of Port Harcourt, Federal Polytechnic Bauchi, and Kwara State University all took action against lecturers for inappropriate behavior.
In 2022, two professors at the University of Abuja were dismissed, and OAU launched another probe involving a professor in the Department of Linguistics.
The trend continued in 2023, with the ICPC arraigning Dr. Balogun Olaniran of Tai Solarin University of Education for allegedly demanding sex in exchange for grades. Kogi State Polytechnic dismissed Abutu Thompson in March, while Ambrose Alli University terminated a lecturer who admitted to inappropriate advances and even apologized publicly at the student’s church.
UNIABUJA again dismissed two more lecturers in July 2023. The University of Calabar suspended Law Dean Prof. Cyril Ndifon in August following multiple allegations. In September, the University of Lagos suspended Kadri Babalola after he was accused of raping a 21-year-old student.
Amid these recurring cases, some academics are calling for reforms. Mr. Onoja Baba of Kogi State Polytechnic has proposed a “Digital Anonymous Feedback System” to help students report abuse safely.
“Current reporting processes are too bureaucratic. Victims often fear backlash, especially when the accused holds power,” he said. “We need systems that prioritize student safety and accountability.”
Despite repeated efforts by institutions to address the crisis, advocacy groups and education stakeholders argue that stronger enforcement, legislative action, and systemic reform are essential to protecting students and ending the culture of impunity.
