NUC Raises Alarm Over Widespread Abuse of Honorary Doctorate Degrees, Uncovers Disturbing Practices in Nigerian Institutions

…warns that Recipients of Honorary Doctorates are not Permitted to Adopt the Title “Dr” as Part of Their Names

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has raised serious concerns over the increasing abuse of honorary doctorate degrees by universities and unaccredited institutions across the country, following a comprehensive investigation into the trend.

According to the Commission’s Executive Secretary, Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, who presented the findings on Friday in Abuja, the probe exposed troubling patterns in the way honorary degrees are being issued and publicly misused. The investigation, which spanned 61 institutions and professional bodies, uncovered a range of unethical practices, chief among them the reckless and indiscriminate conferment of honorary doctorates as well as the disturbing emergence of fake professorship awards.

The Commission noted that what should be a prestigious recognition of outstanding achievement has increasingly become a tool for exploitation, reputation laundering, and in some cases, outright fraud. These practices, it warned, undermine the integrity of Nigeria’s higher education system and diminish the value of legitimate academic qualifications.

Prof. Ribadu emphasized that recipients of honorary doctorates are not permitted to adopt the title “Dr” as part of their names, reiterating that the designation is exclusively reserved for individuals who have earned a PhD or hold a medical degree. He stressed the need for strict adherence to academic protocols and cautioned institutions against actions that could erode public confidence in the university system.

The NUC is expected to release additional guidelines and sanctions to curb the rising abuse, as the Commission continues its effort to safeguard academic standards and uphold the credibility of Nigerian tertiary education.