Sex-for-marks: 60 randy lecturers axed in five years

Nigerian universities and polytechnics have dismissed, suspended, or prosecuted at least 60 lecturers in the last five years for sexual harassment and misconduct. This figure, compiled from disciplinary actions announced between 2021 and July 2026, highlights ongoing efforts to combat sexual predation within higher education institutions.

Recent incidents underscore the persistent nature of the problem. On July 27, 2026, Paul University in Awka suspended a technologist over alleged serious sexual misconduct. Just a week prior, Kogi State Polytechnic terminated a lecturer's appointment for allegedly molesting a student. These actions follow similar dismissals in December 2025 and investigations in May 2024 at other institutions.

The crackdown intensified in 2024 and 2025, with multiple high-profile dismissals. In April 2025, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University dismissed a senior lecturer after he was found guilty of demanding sexual favors from a postgraduate student. Lagos State University also dismissed two lecturers in July 2025 for offenses including sexual harassment and financial misconduct. These sanctions represent a fraction of the measures taken, with early 2021 also seeing suspensions for sexual misconduct.