FG Issues New Guidelines After Ban on ‘Dr’ Title for Honorary Degree Holders
- Federal government has introduced new guidelines restricting the use of ‘Dr’ title for honorary degree holders
- The National Universities Commission (NUC) has restricted eligibility and capped honorary awards per convocation period strictly
- Also, the Federal Ministry of Education has introduced a monitoring and sanctions framework, including a fraud unit for compliance enforcement
The federal government has introduced new national rules to control how honorary doctorate degrees are awarded and used in Nigerian universities.
Source: Twitter
Recall that in a move aimed at restoring trust in the country’s higher education system, the federal government prohibited recipients of honorary degrees from using the title “Dr” before their names in any official, academic, or professional setting.
The policy was announced by the Federal Ministry of Education through its official X handle, @NigEducation, on Wednesday, June 10. It says the new guidelines were approved to stop what it described as “abuse, commercialization, and misuse of honorary awards.”
Under the new framework developed by the National Universities Commission (NUC), only approved universities that have already produced PhD graduates will be allowed to award honorary doctorates.
The government also placed a strict limit, stating that institutions can only confer a limited number of honorary degrees.
"The framework sets clear rules on eligibility, nomination, approval, conferment, usage, and revocation of honorary doctorate degrees. It restricts eligibility to approved universities that have graduated their first PhD set and limits awards to a maximum of three per convocation," the statement read.
New monitoring system set for compliance
A key part of the policy is the restriction on titles. The ministry reiterated that all honorary awards must be clearly labelled “Honoris Causa.” It further warned that recipients are not allowed to use the title “Dr.” based on such awards.
Universities are now required to publish the names of recipients publicly and ensure proper approval processes before any award is given. The guidelines also introduce monitoring systems, including what the ministry termed a special fraud unit under the NUC to track compliance.
"All honorary degrees must carry the designation “Honoris Causa,” and recipients are prohibited from using the title “Dr.” The guidelines also establish oversight mechanisms, including a Special Fraud Unit under the NUC to monitor compliance."
Source: Twitter
"Universities are required to publish recipients’ names, provide orientation to awardees, and implement revocation procedures where necessary," the satment read.
The government, which said it will not hesitate to enforce sanctions on erring institutions, warned that violations could lead to suspension of accreditation activities or even the dissolution of university governing councils.
FG imposes six-year tertiary moratorium policy
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the federal government, in a bid to improve the performance of existing tertiary institutions nationwide, placed a six-year ban on establishing new universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
Education Minister Tunji Alausa said the moratorium targets sustainability issues in overcrowded institutions. The Federal Executive Council also approved recognising medical fellowships as equivalent to a PhD for academic progression in universities.
The government said the policy will redirect focus to strengthening existing tertiary institutions and improving education quality nationwide.
Source: Legit.ng
