A baseline survey on sexual harassment in Nigerian public tertiary institutions has revealed that 70 per cent of female students and 30 per cent of male students have experienced at least one form of gender-based violence on campus.

The survey also showed that 63 per cent of female staff and 37 per cent of male staff reported similar experiences.

The findings were presented during the unveiling of the report, conducted by Alliances for Africa in collaboration with the Centre for Gender Studies at Kaduna State University, as part of activities marking International Women’s Day 2026.

Presenting the report, a professor of Criminology and Gender Studies at KASU, Hauwa Evelyn Yusuf, described the findings as evidence of a systemic crisis that had persisted for years amid institutional silence.

Ms Yusuf said the survey was conducted across six states and six federal public universities covering the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

According to her, the study provides one of the most comprehensive empirical studies on the scale and nature of GBV in Nigerian higher education.

She added that sexual misconduct, including unwanted touching, inappropriate comments, verbal abuse and stalking, was identified as the most common form of harassment by 42.2 per cent of respondents.

Ms Yusuf said the figures represented thousands of students who entered universities in search of knowledge and opportunities but instead encountered harassment, coercion and silence.

She noted that some students reported being coerced into sexual exchanges for academic grades and privileges, while others faced threats for refusing advances.

According to her, many survivors do not report their experiences due to fear of retaliation, lack of trust in institutional processes and the absence of confidential reporting channels.

Ms Yusuf called on the vice-chancellors of universities to urgently establish independent sexual harassment response units, enforce institutional policies and create safe reporting mechanisms.

She also urged the National Universities Commission, the Federal Ministry of Education and state governments to introduce policies that would protect students and staff, as well as provide funding for survivor support and prevention programmes.

The director of the Centre for Gender Studies, Deborah Bijimi, said AfA, in partnership with CoImpact, had launched a five-year programme from January 2023 to December 2028 to address sexual harassment in Nigeria’s public tertiary institutions.

Ms Bijimi explained that the National Campus Climate Baseline Survey was conducted across 12 participating universities in partnership with their respective Centres for Gender Studies.

She said the project aimed to generate critical data to better understand the prevalence and impact of sexual harassment on students and staff.

According to her, the initiative also seeks to raise awareness about sexual and gender-based violence while encouraging institutions to take concrete actions toward systemic change.

The vice chancellor of KASU, Abdullahi Musa, who was represented by the deputy vice chancellor for strategy, innovation and service delivery, Helen Andow, assured that the institution will explore ways to collaborate with key stakeholders to implement policy indicators at the university.

The survey forms the foundation of AfA’s five-year programme designed to eradicate sexual harassment in Nigeria’s public tertiary institutions. The data will serve as a baseline for measuring institutional and policy progress, which will be publicly reported throughout the programme.

(NAN)