The Federal Government has officially prohibited recipients of honorary degrees from using the title “Dr” in any formal, academic, or professional setting, following the approval of a new policy framework by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
The announcement was made by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, after the council meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
According to the minister, the move is aimed at curbing the growing misuse and politicisation of honorary doctorates, which have increasingly been treated as earned academic qualifications rather than symbolic recognitions.
He emphasized that honorary degrees should be acknowledged strictly as awards and not as credentials, warning that misrepresenting them as academic qualifications would amount to academic fraud, with possible legal and reputational consequences.
The new policy also sets stricter guidelines for tertiary institutions. Only universities with established PhD programmes will be permitted to confer honorary degrees, addressing concerns over indiscriminate awards by institutions without doctoral capacity.
In addition, the National Universities Commission (NUC), under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Education, will oversee implementation, monitor convocation ceremonies, and publish an annual list of legitimate honorary degree recipients.
The reform strengthens the Keffi Declaration—an initiative developed by vice chancellors—to restore credibility, protect academic integrity, and end the commercialisation of honorary awards.
Officials also noted that universities must operate within legal and ethical boundaries, stressing that institutional autonomy does not justify the abuse of academic traditions.
Alongside this policy, the council approved the creation of a national research and innovation development fund to boost Nigeria’s research ecosystem and align it with national development goals.
