The Federal Government has barred recipients of honorary degrees from using the title “Dr” alongside their names, as part of efforts to curb the growing abuse and politicisation of honorary academic awards in Nigeria.
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, announced the decision during a media briefing at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday.
According to the minister, the directive was approved during the Federal Executive Council meeting held on April 30, 2026.
Alausa said the move became necessary following what he described as the indiscriminate conferment of honorary degrees for political patronage, financial gain, and other non-academic considerations.
“The recent trend we’ve seen with the award of honorary degrees has revealed a growing abuse and politicisation of this academic privilege,” he said.
“We’ve seen awards being used for political patronage, for financial gain, as well as the conferral of awards on serving public officials, which, as part of the ethics of honorary degree awards, should not happen.”
The minister stressed that honorary degree recipients are no longer permitted to attach the title “Dr” to their names, noting that the designation is reserved for individuals who earned academic or professional doctoral qualifications through approved programmes.
He further warned that universities found violating the new directive would face sanctions.
According to him, vice chancellors across the country have already been instructed to streamline the process for awarding honorary degrees in line with the new policy.
Alausa also disclosed that going forward, universities must obtain approval from the National Universities Commission before conferring honorary degrees on any individual.
The Federal Government said the new measures are aimed at preserving the integrity and credibility of Nigeria’s higher education system.
