Federal Government introduces strict rules to regulate honorary doctorate awards in universities
The Federal Government has approved new nationwide guidelines aimed at regulating the award and use of honorary doctorate degrees in Nigerian universities, in a bid to curb abuse and restore academic credibility.
The policy, approved by the Federal Executive Council, introduces detailed requirements governing eligibility, nomination, conferment, usage, and possible revocation of honorary doctorates.
According to the Ministry of Education, the guidelines were developed by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and adopted to address growing concerns over the commercialization and misuse of honorary academic titles.
Under the new framework, only universities that have produced their first set of PhD graduates will be eligible to award honorary doctorates. Institutions will also be limited to a maximum of three honorary awards per convocation ceremony.
The policy further mandates that all honorary doctorate recipients must be clearly designated as “Honoris Causa,” and prohibits them from using the title “Dr” solely based on such awards.
In addition, universities are required to publicly publish the names of recipients, conduct orientation sessions for awardees, and establish formal procedures for withdrawing honorary degrees where necessary.
To enforce compliance, the government has introduced oversight mechanisms, including a Special Fraud Unit under the NUC to monitor implementation and ensure adherence to the guidelines.
Officials warned that institutions that violate the rules may face sanctions, including suspension of accreditation activities and possible dissolution of governing councils.
The move follows earlier efforts by the NUC to regulate honorary degrees and prevent their misuse by institutions and organizations without proper authority to confer them.
