A fresh safety campaign by the University of Lagos (UNILAG) has ignited widespread discussion across Nigeria’s higher education community after the institution released a series of advisories encouraging female students to adopt precautionary measures aimed at reducing the risk of sexual harassment and rape on campus.
Displayed by the university’s Student Affairs Division on campus, the advisory contains practical guidance urging female students to remain vigilant in their interactions and surroundings. Among the recommendations are avoiding isolated locations with unfamiliar men, exercising caution when accepting drinks, resisting undue pressure, and being assertive in uncomfortable situations. One of the messages that attracted significant public attention advises students not to “shake hands anyhow with any man.”
The publication quickly generated reactions on social media and within academic circles. While some observers described the initiative as a proactive effort to educate students about personal safety, others questioned whether the messaging placed too much emphasis on changing the behaviour of potential victims rather than focusing on preventing perpetrators from committing sexual offences.
UNILAG explained that the campaign forms part of its counselling and awareness programmes intended to help students recognise situations that could expose them to danger and to encourage precautionary behaviour while on campus. The university noted that the initiative is designed to complement broader efforts to promote student welfare and reduce incidents of sexual violence.
The conversation emerges against the backdrop of previous reports of sexual assault involving members of the university community. Earlier this year, court proceedings in Lagos heard testimony from a female undergraduate who alleged that she was raped by a lecturer within the institution’s premises, while previous years have also witnessed other high-profile cases that intensified calls for stronger safeguards in tertiary institutions.
Across Nigeria, universities have increasingly introduced sexual harassment policies, confidential reporting channels, counselling services and disciplinary procedures as part of efforts to create safer learning environments. Many institutions have also established gender units and anti-sexual harassment committees to receive complaints, provide support for survivors and investigate allegations in accordance with institutional regulations.
Experts in student affairs say personal safety campaigns can play an important role in educating students about risk awareness, particularly during orientation programmes for newly admitted undergraduates. However, they also stress that prevention strategies should be accompanied by institutional measures that hold offenders accountable, strengthen security on campuses and promote a culture where every student feels protected regardless of gender.
Advocates against gender-based violence similarly argue that addressing sexual harassment requires a comprehensive approach involving awareness, effective law enforcement, prompt investigation of complaints, survivor support services and continuous education on consent and respectful relationships.
For many education stakeholders, the discussion prompted by UNILAG’s advisory extends beyond a single campus. It highlights the continuing challenge facing higher institutions in balancing preventive safety messages with the broader responsibility of ensuring that perpetrators—not victims—bear responsibility for acts of sexual violence.
As universities prepare for new academic sessions across the country, the debate is expected to reinforce ongoing conversations about campus security, student welfare and the importance of building learning environments where every student can pursue higher education free from fear, intimidation or abuse.
