The National Universities Commission (NUC) has issued a sweeping directive banning honorary degree recipients from using the “Dr.” title and limiting universities to a maximum of three merit-based awards per convocation to curb the “indiscriminate conferment” of academic honors
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has introduced a stringent new regulatory framework aimed at curbing the “abuse and indiscriminate conferment” of honorary degrees across Nigerian higher institutions. Under the new guidelines, recipients of honorary awards are strictly prohibited from using the “Dr.” prefix, a title the Commission insists is reserved exclusively for individuals who have earned doctoral degrees through academic research or are certified medical practitioners. Instead, honorees are directed to use appropriate post-nominal titles, such as Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) — D.Sc (H.C). The Commission noted that these measures are essential to protect the integrity of genuine academic distinctions which have been undermined by the widespread devaluation of honorary awards.
To ensure that only established institutions participate in the practice, the NUC has decreed that only universities that have successfully graduated their first set of PhD students will be eligible to confer honorary degrees, effectively excluding newer institutions from the process. Furthermore, the Commission has set a strict limit of a maximum of three honorary degrees per convocation ceremony to promote moderation. In a move to eliminate financial exploitation, the NUC has prohibited any form of financial inducement, insisting that such honors “must be based solely on merit and conferred free of charge.” Additionally, the guidelines explicitly bar self-nominated candidates and all serving public officials—whether elected or appointed—from receiving such awards during their tenure.
The NUC further clarified that these honorary titles do not confer any academic or professional privileges, such as the right to “practise regulated professions, supervise research, or hold administrative positions in universities.” As part of a new transparency mandate, institutions are now required to publish the names of all recipients on their official websites and establish clear procedures for revoking honors from individuals later found guilty of misconduct. The Commission warned that any institution failing to comply with these directives would face severe regulatory sanctions, emphasizing that the era of using honorary degrees as political or financial tools has come to an end.
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