Sexual Harassment Policies at Nigerian Universities: What Students Should Know
By Muntasir • Published Jan 04, 2025 • Updated Sep 20, 2026 • Student Life
NUC has publicly pressed vice-chancellors to tackle sexual harassment, and most Nigerian universities have adopted their own written policies and reporting committees in response. If a lecturer or staff member harasses you, report it through your university's dedicated committee, not only through the head of department.
📩 NUC has publicly pressed vice-chancellors to tackle sexual harassment and publish the names of lecturers found responsible, and most universities have adopted their own written policies and complaints committees in response, though this is not confirmed as a single codified NUC accreditation checklist item.
🎓 Policies typically cover staff to student and student to student harassment.
Reports usually go to a dedicated committee, the students affairs office, or the office of the vice chancellor, not only your department.
Report to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) too if your case involves abuse of office for grades or favors.
Keep dates, messages, and witness names, since written evidence strengthens a complaint.
Why so many universities have adopted these policies
Public scrutiny of sexual harassment in Nigerian higher education intensified after a BBC Africa Eye documentary aired in October 2019 exposing lecturers demanding sex for grades at the University of Lagos and University of Ghana. The coverage pushed universities to publish or strengthen internal policies, and the National Universities Commission has since publicly urged vice-chancellors to tackle sexual harassment and publish the names of lecturers found responsible.
The National Universities Commission (NUC) sets minimum academic standards that federal, state, and private universities must meet to keep their accreditation. NUC's Executive Secretary has repeatedly charged universities to run functioning complaints structures, and most institutions have adopted a written policy and complaints committee on their own initiative, though this is not confirmed as a single codified NUC accreditation checklist item.
What a university policy typically covers
A definition of sexual harassment that includes verbal, physical, and online conduct, and unwanted requests tied to grades, recommendation letters, or academic progress.
Coverage of staff to student, student to student, and staff to staff conduct.
A named committee or office responsible for receiving and investigating complaints.
A timeline for how long an investigation should take.
Sanctions ranging from warnings to dismissal for staff, and suspension or expulsion for students found responsible.
Coverage differs by university, since each institution's governing council approves its own policy. Check your university's students affairs office or website for the exact document, and ask what body handles reports if you cannot find one published online.
How to report an incident
Start with your university's designated sexual harassment or gender based violence committee, where one exists. If you are not sure your university has one, go to the dean of student affairs or the office of the vice chancellor, which is required to direct you to the right process. Larger universities such as the University of Lagos publish their anti harassment and other student facing policies in a dedicated policies section on their website, so check there before assuming no policy exists.
Write down the date, time, and details of each incident as soon as possible. Save messages, emails, or call logs. Ask a friend or classmate who witnessed anything to note what they saw. This record matters if your case goes to a formal hearing.
Reporting outside the university
If your complaint involves a staff member using their position for personal favors, report it to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) as well, since it investigates abuse of office in public institutions including universities. Report threats or physical assault to the Nigeria Police Force. Some states have also domesticated the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, which criminalizes sexual violence and gives survivors a route outside the university system.
What happens after you report
A functioning committee should acknowledge your report, keep your identity confidential from anyone outside the investigation, and interview you and any witnesses separately from the accused. Outcomes vary by university and by the severity of the finding, from a written warning to termination of employment for staff or expulsion for a student found responsible. If your university does not respond within a reasonable time, escalate in writing to the vice chancellor's office and keep a copy.