NEWS
FG Cracks Down on Abuse of Honorary Degrees, Bans Recipients from Using “Dr.” Title as New Policy Takes Effect Across Nigerian Universities
…says, Only universities with PhD Programmes Now Eligible to Confer Honorary Degrees
…Recipients Barred From Using “Dr.” Title in Official, Professional Settings
The Federal Government has approved a uniform policy to regulate the conferment and use of honorary degrees by Nigerian universities, warning that institutions and recipients who violate the new guidelines would face sanctions.
Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing journalists at the State House, Abuja, on approvals received by his ministry from last week’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Alausa explained that the new policy was introduced to safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s academic system, restore public confidence in university honours, and curb what he described as the increasing abuse, politicisation, and commercialisation of honorary degrees across the country.
The minister expressed serious concern over the indiscriminate conferment of honorary doctorates by some universities, particularly to serving public officials and influential individuals, noting that several recipients often proceed to adopt the title “Doctor” in official, academic, and professional environments despite not earning the qualification through academic study.
Under the newly approved framework, all honorary degrees must now be expressly identified as “honorary” or “honoris causa” on certificates and in every official reference connected to the award.
Alausa further clarified that recipients of honorary degrees would no longer be permitted to prefix “Dr.” to their names in official academic or professional correspondence solely on the basis of such awards.
“Recipients are expected to acknowledge the degree as an award or recognition and not as a formal academic qualification,” Alausa said.
He warned that any attempt by recipients to present honorary degrees as earned academic credentials would amount to academic fraud and could attract legal sanctions as well as reputational consequences.
According to the minister, only universities with established doctoral programmes and recognised PhD-awarding curricula would henceforth qualify to confer honorary degrees.
He described the growing trend of newly established institutions without doctoral programmes awarding honorary doctorates as a “misnomer” that weakens and undermines academic standards within the nation’s higher education system.
Alausa stated that the policy was designed to strengthen the implementation of the Keffi Declaration, a framework previously developed by the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities to tackle persistent abuse associated with honorary degree awards.
He added that the Federal Ministry of Education, through the National Universities Commission, would issue detailed circulars to vice-chancellors, registrars, and governing councils of universities across the country to ensure proper implementation of the new guidelines.
The minister also disclosed that the Federal Government would monitor university convocation ceremonies and publish annual lists of legitimate honorary degree recipients as part of measures to guarantee transparency and strict compliance.
“We will collaborate with the media to discourage the improper attribution of academic titles to people who were awarded honorary degrees,” he said.
Alausa stressed that universities found violating the policy would face sanctions under an enforcement framework to be developed by the NUC.
Responding to questions from journalists on whether the policy could infringe on university autonomy, the minister maintained that institutional independence does not provide a license to disregard national regulations and established academic standards.
“Autonomy does not equate to the right to break the law in this country,” he said.
Speaking further on the role of the media, Alausa emphasized that journalists would be instrumental in exposing the misuse of honorary titles and discouraging false academic claims in public life.
“If I turn around and say I’m Dr. Alausa because a university gave me an honorary degree, the media should call it out,” he said.
He, however, clarified that the policy was not intended to restrict informal or social usage of honorary titles, but rather to prevent misrepresentation in official and professional settings where academic qualifications matter.
Also speaking, Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Ahmad, explained that the Keffi Declaration was originally formulated by vice-chancellors as a self-regulatory framework for honorary degree awards but lacked the statutory authority required for effective enforcement.
She noted that the latest approval by the Federal Government had now provided the declaration with the necessary legal and institutional backing needed to ensure full implementation across Nigerian universities.