At least 60 lecturers across Nigerian universities and polytechnics have been suspended, dismissed, or prosecuted for sexual harassment and misconduct since 2021, yet the abuse continues to plague students—particularly women—who face academic retaliation and institutional barriers when they seek justice.
The most recent cases emerged in late July 2026. Paul University in Awka, Anambra State, suspended practical biology technologist Cornelius Eze on July 27 following allegations of serious sexual misconduct lodged with the institution on July 14. A week earlier, Kogi State Polytechnic terminated lecturer Mukhtar Muhammed's appointment after he allegedly sexually molested a student. The polytechnic cited efforts to maintain discipline and protect students from abuse. It wasn't the institution's first such action. In December 2025, the same polytechnic fired Abutu Thompson after he was found guilty of sexually harassing and victimizing a female student in the Department of Computer Science.
A Pattern of Abuse Across Institutions
An analysis of publicly announced disciplinary actions between 2021 and July 2026 reveals a troubling pattern. Universities claim zero-tolerance policies, but reports of lecturers demanding sex from students keep surfacing. In May 2024, the Federal University in Lokoja investigated a lecturer in the Department of English and Literary Studies who allegedly attempted to sexually harass a female student through repeated inappropriate messages. The University of Nigeria, Nsukka, suspended lecturer Mfonobong Udoudom indefinitely in April 2024 after a viral video allegedly showed him sexually harassing a female student.
The Lagos State University of Science and Technology dismissed three lecturers in April 2025 over sexual harassment allegations following disciplinary proceedings. Ten days later, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University in Bauchi dismissed senior lecturer Dr. Usman Aliyu after finding him guilty of sexually harassing a married postgraduate student. He'd demanded sexual favors and threatened her academic progress. In July 2025, Lagos State University dismissed two lecturers after its Governing Council found them guilty of offenses including sexual harassment, inhumane treatment of students, and financial misconduct.
These sanctions represent only a fraction of disciplinary measures taken over the past five years. In February 2021, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, suspended Dr. Chigozie Odum from the Department of Archaeology and Tourism over sexual misconduct allegations. Four months later, the Federal University in Oye-Ekiti suspended a lecturer in its Department of Media and Theatre Arts over similar allegations. The University of Lagos dismissed two lecturers in June 2021 for sexual misconduct, while the University of Port Harcourt dismissed a lecturer in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literature in August 2021.
The Scale of the Problem
In June 2021, the Vice-Chancellor of Akwa Ibom State University, Prof. Nse Essien, disclosed that the institution had sacked about 14 lecturers for engaging in sexual molestation and abuse of female students. In October 2021, the Federal Polytechnic in Bauchi dismissed two lecturers from its Departments of Nutrition/Dietetics and General Studies over sexual misconduct. Ignatius Ajuru University of Education dismissed a lecturer in its Department of Sociology for impregnating a female student that same year. Kwara State University in Malete sacked a lecturer in December for sexually harassing a student in the Department of Pure and Applied Sciences.
The sanctions continued in 2022. Elechi Amadi Polytechnic in Rivers State dismissed a lecturer in January over allegations of sexually harassing a female student. Three months later, Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife launched an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment involving a professor in its Department of Linguistics and African Studies—the second professor at the institution to face similar allegations within a few years. In June 2022, the then Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof. Abdul-Raheed Na'allah, announced the dismissal of two professors over sexual misconduct, describing the decision as part of efforts to uphold the university's ethical standards.
Criminal Prosecution Remains Rare
In 2023, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission arraigned Dr. Balogun Olaniran, a lecturer at Tai Solarin University of Education, over allegations that he demanded sexual gratification from a female student to alter her examination results. In May 2023, Ambrose Alli University dismissed a lecturer over sexual harassment allegations after its Staff Disciplinary Committee found him guilty of misconduct. According to Vice-Chancellor Prof. Asomwan Adagbonyin, the lecturer admitted making advances to the student and even visited her church to seek forgiveness. In July 2023, Na'allah disclosed that the University of Abuja had dismissed two additional lecturers over sexual harassment allegations.
In August 2023, the University of Calabar suspended its then Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. Cyril Ndifon, over sexual harassment allegations. The case later became one of the country's most prominent campus sexual harassment cases after criminal proceedings were initiated against him. A month later, the University of Lagos suspended lecturer Kadri Babalola over allegations that he raped a 21-year-old student. In October 2023, the Federal College of Forestry in Plateau State suspended four lecturers over allegations of sexually harassing female students.
Survivors Face Systemic Barriers
These recurring cases reinforce concerns that sexual harassment remains entrenched within Nigeria's tertiary education system despite repeated disciplinary actions by institutions. A 2018 survey by the World Bank Group found that about 70 percent of female graduates from tertiary institutions in Nigeria experienced one form of sexual harassment during their academic journey. The report identified lecturers and fellow students as the major perpetrators. Many victims said they failed to report incidents because of fear of victimization, intimidation, academic repercussions, and lack of confidence in existing reporting systems.
The issue has again come under public scrutiny following recent developments involving students who accused lecturers of misconduct. A student of the University of Lagos recently approached the court after accusing a lecturer of sexual harassment, a development that's reignited conversations about access to justice for survivors and the responsibility of institutions to protect complainants from retaliation.
Legislative Efforts and Calls for Reform
The renewed public attention comes amid fresh legislative efforts to strengthen the country's legal response to sexual harassment in tertiary institutions. In 2025, lawmakers in the House of Representatives introduced a bill seeking stiffer punishment for lecturers found guilty of sexually harassing students. The proposed legislation seeks to strengthen existing legal provisions by prescribing tougher penalties for offenders while compelling tertiary institutions to establish transparent reporting and investigative procedures. The move followed years of advocacy after the Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Educational Institutions Prohibition Bill, which had generated widespread public support, failed to become law despite receiving legislative approval in previous assemblies.
Education rights advocates said that while universities have become more willing to dismiss offending lecturers, criminal prosecution remains uncommon, allowing many perpetrators to escape with only administrative sanctions. The Director of Programmes at Reform Education Nigeria, Ayodamola Oluwatoyin, said: "The President signing the bill will be a game-changer. We need to make schools safe for our students. The most unfortunate part of the issue is that some of these students, even when harassed, are scared to come out in the open for fear of victimisation and other issues."
The former Programme Manager, Gender Justice at the Shehu Musa Yar'Adua Foundation, Nafisa Atiku-Adejuwon, said: "The response system has to be survivor-centred and holistic; mental and physical health concerns must be taken seriously. The response system shouldn't be created to make the university look good; it should be to take care of the survivors." She added that universities must build trust with students by guaranteeing confidentiality, protecting complainants from retaliation, and ensuring that allegations are investigated promptly and transparently.
Why This Matters:
The dismissal of 60 lecturers over five years reveals a systemic problem that administrative sanctions alone can't solve. When 70 percent of female graduates report experiencing sexual harassment during their studies—according to a 2018 World Bank Group survey—and survivors remain afraid to report abuse for fear of academic retaliation, the issue isn't just individual misconduct. It's institutional failure. Without criminal prosecution, lecturers who exploit their power over students' academic futures face minimal consequences. The legislative effort introduced in 2025 represents a critical opportunity to establish survivor-centered reporting systems, guarantee protection from retaliation, and ensure that perpetrators face real legal accountability. Until universities prioritize student safety over institutional reputation—and until survivors can trust that coming forward won't destroy their academic careers—Nigerian women will continue paying the price for accessing education.