By Emamuzo Iboma
Nigeria’s efforts to combat workplace sexual harassment have significant gaps, as evidenced by research showing widespread policy non-compliance and systemic enforcement failures, according to a recent virtual validation meeting organized by HEIR Women Hub (HWH).
The meeting, which was sponsored by the African Women Development Fund (AWDF) as part of the KASA! Initiative, brought together civil society, policymakers, and gender advocates to address what speakers referred to as a “silent epidemic” that is compromising worker productivity and safety.
HWH’s study, conducted across 10 organizations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), found that while 60% of employees believed their workplaces had sexual harassment policies, most had never seen or understood them. Over 94% of respondents acknowledged sexual harassment as a pervasive issue, with 78% attributing prevention responsibility to employers. However, 50% reported never receiving anti-harassment training, and 20% expressed distrust in internal reporting systems.
Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, executive secretary of Lagos State’s Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, began with a sobering warning: “Sexual harassment sabotages productivity and inclusion—it is not just a violation of rights.” Policies must become living documents that enforce accountability because they are insufficient on their own. This problem, according to the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, fosters hostile work environments, impedes organizational success, and causes long-term harm to employees.
Vivour-Adeniyi stressed the urgency of translating guidelines into action:
“This research provides evidence-based insights into policy adoption gaps. It will empower us to collaborate with organizations, ensuring workplaces are harassment-free. We’re actively engaging the private sector to provide training and technical assistance. Today’s meeting is pivotal to validating findings and charting actionable strategies.”
Añuli Aniebo, Executive Director of HWH, reported concerning results from their Federal Capital Territory (FCT) study:
Jacinta Ike, the Chief Social Welfare Officer of the FCTA Women Affairs Secretariat, concluded with a call to action: “Effective policies reflect our collective duty to ensure dignity—they are not just regulatory.” Let us create a future in which respect is an unassailable value and every person works without harassment.
The meeting concluded with demands for mandatory training, whistleblower protections, and simplified policy dissemination. As Aniebo asserted, “Strong policies, properly implemented, will make workplaces safer for everyone.”
