JUST IN: FG Cracks Down on Honorary Degree Abuse, Bans Use of ‘Dr’ Title—-Government says honorary doctorate holders who present themselves as academic doctors risk legal and reputational consequences
The Federal Government has announced a nationwide ban on the use of the “Dr” title by recipients of honorary doctorate degrees in official, academic, and professional settings.
The directive was unveiled on Wednesday by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, during a briefing with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Speaking alongside the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Ahmad, Alausa disclosed that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had approved a new uniform policy regulating the award and usage of honorary degrees by Nigerian universities.
According to the minister, the move is intended to curb what the government describes as years of abuse, politicisation, and commercialisation of honorary academic awards.
“The recent trend we’ve seen with the award of honorary degrees has revealed a growing abuse and politicisation of this academic privilege,” Alausa said.
He noted that honorary awards have increasingly been used for political patronage, financial influence, and recognition of serving public office holders—practices he described as inconsistent with the ethical principles guiding honorary degrees.
Under the newly approved policy, recipients of honorary doctorates are no longer permitted to prefix “Dr” to their names. Instead, they must clearly indicate the honorary nature of the award by placing the designation after their names.
For example, recipients may use formats such as Chief Louis Clark, D.Lit. (Honoris Causa) or Mrs Miriam Adamu, LL.D. Hons.
Alausa stressed that misrepresenting honorary degrees as academically earned qualifications will now be regarded as academic fraud and may attract both legal and reputational consequences.
The government also introduced stricter rules on the categories of honorary degrees Nigerian universities are allowed to confer. Institutions will now be limited to only four honorary degree types:
- Doctor of Laws (LL.D)
- Doctor of Letters (D.Lit)
- Doctor of Science (D.Sc)
- Doctor of Humanities (D.Arts)
In addition, universities that do not operate active PhD programmes will no longer be allowed to award honorary doctorates.
The policy is expected to significantly affect public figures, politicians, entertainers, religious leaders, and business personalities who commonly adopt the “Dr” title after receiving honorary recognitions.
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