By SCM Staff Writer I Wednesday, Oct.22, 2025
ABUJA, Nigeria — The Nigerian Senate today approved a landmark bill that mandates life imprisonment for any person convicted of sexual intercourse with a minor, effectively eliminating judicial discretion and removing the option of financial penalties or lesser custodial sentences for the grave offence.
The legislation marks a significant escalation in Nigeria’s legislative response to the pervasive issue of child sexual abuse, delivering the strictest penalty yet and responding directly to years of public pressure and advocacy by civil society organizations. The bill now proceeds to the House of Representatives for concurrence before being sent to the President for assent.
The move to impose mandatory life sentences comes against a backdrop of persistently high rates of child defilement cases across the West African nation, often complicated by systemic failures in justice delivery.
Previous laws, including sections of the Criminal Code and Penal Code, provided for varying prison terms, but critically, sometimes allowed for fines or shorter sentences—penalties that critics argued failed to serve as adequate deterrents.
In many parts of Nigeria, particularly in states where the federal Child Rights Act (CRA) of 2003 has not been domesticated, legal ambiguities and cultural pressures often result in victims being silenced, or their families pressured into settling cases out of court for compensation, effectively allowing perpetrators to evade substantial jail time. The new bill aims to close these loopholes, ensuring that the punishment is both certain and severe.
“This is a critical turning point for child protection in Nigeria,” said one prominent legal analyst, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.
“The mandatory nature of the life sentence sends an unequivocal message: the Nigerian state views the sexual exploitation of a child as a crime against humanity, not a negotiable offence.”
Under Nigerian law, a minor or a child is generally defined as any individual under the age of 18.
The new legislation, if signed into law, harmonises the punishment across gender lines, making clear that any man or woman engaging in the prohibited act will face the same maximum penalty. This is a crucial distinction in a country where legal texts occasionally carry gendered language regarding sexual offences.
While advocacy groups have largely welcomed the severity of the sentence as a powerful deterrent, concerns remain regarding the enforcement and implementation of the law. Legal experts caution that success will hinge on the capacity of police to conduct thorough investigations, the speed of judicial processes, and the commitment of state governments to protect and support victims through the trauma of prosecution.
Furthermore, introducing a mandatory, no-fine sentence could place immense pressure on the court system and potentially lead to fewer convictions if judges are hesitant to impose such a final sentence in complex, contested cases. However, proponents of the bill argue that the absolute nature of the punishment is necessary to combat a crisis often perpetuated by individuals in positions of trust and power.
The passage of this bill reflects a deepening national resolve to confront one of its most challenging social and legal issues. The focus now shifts to the executive branch, where President Bola Tinubu will decide whether to ratify the Senate’s decision and cement mandatory life imprisonment as the penalty for child defilement.
