Nigeria documented 27,698 cases of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) between 2020 and 2023. Of those, 1,145 people died. In Lagos, authorities logged 6,389 SGBV cases in 2023 alone. These numbers point to a justice system that consistently fails the people it is supposed to protect. At every stage of the process, from the moment a survivor walks into a police station to the day a case is decided in court, the system is broken. Amnesty International flagged this pattern in 2021, documenting how the failure to address sexual violence effectively has allowed perpetrators to act without fear of consequences. Years later, the picture has barely changed. This failure to protect survivors represents a significant dimension of the gender safety gap that shapes women’s daily reality across the globe.
Injustice Promoted by the Justice System
The first obstacle is the police. Out of every reported rape case between 2020 and 2023, barely a quarter led to an arrest, meaning most reports go nowhere. Even when survivors do come forward, officers are known to push them to resolve the matter privately rather than pursue criminal charges. Amnesty International documented cases where police actively blocked formal complaints, with bribery allegations further eroding trust.
Most sexual violence cases in Nigeria are never reported to law enforcement at all. Only 3.3% make it that far, with survivors citing fear, shame, and self-blame as reasons for staying silent. Cultural attitudes play a massive role in this. Conservative norms teach that assault is the survivor’s fault because of how they dressed, where they went, or who they spoke to. Families and communities often pressure survivors to drop their complaints, prioritizing reputation over accountability. The result is a silence that shields abusers and punishes survivors.
Credit: UNFPA Advocacy Brief via UNFPA Nigeria
Re-victimized by Narrow Definitions
When cases reach court, the odds remain stacked against survivors. Nigeria’s legal codes define rape narrowly. Only women can be victims under Section 357 of the Criminal Code and Section 282 of the Penal Code, and neither recognizes marital rape nor defines consent clearly. The VAPP Act of 2015 broadened those definitions to apply regardless of gender, but many states haven’t adopted it, and enforcement remains weak where they have. Courts also still require corroboration beyond survivor testimony, demanding independent witnesses when none exist. With these barriers, a 20-year study found that just 2.9% of SGBV cases ended in conviction.
When almost no one faces punishment, rape becomes a low-risk crime. Survivors watch others get denied justice and see no point in reporting. Recorded cases are rising, though whether that reflects more violence or more reporting is unclear. Lagos has made some progress; the Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team has handled thousands of cases since 2016, launched a DNA lab, and supported cases that received life sentences for the perpetrators. However, isolated wins do not add up to systemic change.
Destroy the Culture that Protects Perpetrators of Sexual Violence
Fixing this requires both legal reforms and cultural shifts. The VAPP Act needs to be enforced in every state. Corroboration requirements need to go. Police and prosecutors need trauma-informed training, and specialized courts need proper resourcing. Laws alone cannot change a culture that teaches survivors to feel shame rather than seek help. Sexual education, public awareness, and civil society support are all part of that work, as is confronting how media and culture contribute to harm against children. Nigeria’s rape prosecution crisis runs through every level of society, and changing that will take political will that has so far been in short supply.
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