The National Universities Commission has introduced sweeping reforms to curb the abuse and commercialisation of honorary degrees in Nigerian universities, aiming to restore the integrity of academic honours.
The move follows an investigation that uncovered 32 “degree mills,” including unaccredited foreign institutions and unlicensed local bodies awarding honorary doctorates, often for a fee. The Commission described the trend as a growing threat to the credibility of Nigeria’s education system.
Under the new guidelines, only well-established universities with accredited PhD programmes will be allowed to confer honorary degrees, and each institution is limited to a maximum of three recipients per convocation ceremony. Serving public officials have also been barred from receiving such awards.
A key provision of the reform is the prohibition of the use of the “Dr” title by honorary degree recipients. The NUC insists that the title should be reserved strictly for individuals who have earned it through academic or medical qualifications.
According to the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Abdullahi Ribadu, the indiscriminate award and misuse of honorary titles have eroded public trust and devalued genuine academic achievements.
The new framework, aligned with global best practices, also prevents self-nomination and seeks to standardise the award process across universities. Authorities say enforcement will include collaboration with law enforcement agencies to clamp down on offenders.
The reform has been widely welcomed by stakeholders, though concerns remain about effective implementation. Analysts say strict enforcement will be key to ending the “pay-for-title” culture and restoring the true value of academic honours in Nigeria.
