The Federal Government has formalised comprehensive guidelines regulating honorary doctorate awards in Nigeria, after the Federal Executive Council approved the policy to restore credibility to the university system.

Minister of Education Dr Tunji Alausa disclosed that the framework addresses growing concerns over abuse, commercialisation and misuse of honorary academic awards. He stated that the National Universities Commission developed the guidelines and later approved by the Federal Executive Council.

Folasade Boriowo, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, signed the statement released on Wednesday. The announcement confirmed strict rules governing eligibility, nomination, conferment, usage and revocation of honorary doctoral degrees awarded by Nigerian universities.

Dr Alausa explained that only universities that have successfully graduated their first cohort of Doctor of Philosophy students will be eligible to confer honorary doctoral degrees. He added that institutions may award a maximum of three honorary doctorates during each convocation ceremony.

The minister further revealed that all honorary doctorates must bear the designation ‘Honoris Causa’ and that recipients would no longer be allowed to use the title ‘Dr’ solely based on receiving an honorary award.

For more details on all the new restrictions, including the ban on financial inducement and limits on self nominated candidates, read the full news here: NUC Issues New Guidelines on Award and Use of Honorary Doctorates

To ensure compliance, the government established oversight mechanisms, including the creation of a Special Fraud Unit under the NUC to monitor adherence. Universities must publicly disclose names of honorary degree recipients, organise orientation programmes for awardees and establish procedures for revocation where necessary.

Dr Alausa warned that institutions failing to comply would face sanctions. The statement read: “The Federal Government directed strict compliance, warning that violations may attract sanctions including suspension of accreditation activities and dissolution of governing councils.”

This approval follows earlier efforts by the NUC to curb indiscriminate conferment of honorary doctorate degrees. In February, the commission introduced draft guidelines citing concerns over growing abuse and activities of organisations without legal authority to confer such honours.

The NUC stated that the guidelines were designed to protect academic standards, strengthen transparency and preserve the credibility of universities. It also warned that institutions violating provisions would face regulatory sanctions.