The Nigeria government has prohibited recipients of honorary degrees from attaching the title “Dr” to their names as part of efforts to curb the alleged abuse of academic honours.
Minister of Education Tunji Alausa announced the directive during a media briefing at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday.
According to the minister, the decision was approved during a Federal Executive Council meeting held on April 30 and is aimed at ending what he described as the growing politicisation and commercialisation of honorary degree awards.
Alausa said authorities had observed increasing misuse of honorary degrees for political patronage and financial benefits, including the conferment of such honours on serving public officials, which he noted goes against established academic ethics.
He warned that universities violating the new directive would face sanctions, adding that vice chancellors across the country have been instructed to tighten procedures surrounding honorary awards.
The minister also disclosed that universities must now obtain approval from the National Universities Commission before conferring honorary degrees.
