The directive is part of a broader effort to restore integrity to the country’s academic system. Speaking at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, said the decision followed growing concerns over the abuse of honorary degrees by recipients who present them as earned academic qualifications.
According to him, the policy—approved by the Federal Executive Council—provides a uniform framework for how honorary degrees should be awarded and used across Nigerian universities. Alausa stressed that recipients must no longer prefix “Dr” to their names in any official, academic, or professional setting. Instead, they are required to use the full designation of the award after their names, clearly indicating that it is honorary.
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“This reform addresses the misuse and politicisation of honorary degrees, which have for years been used for patronage and financial influence rather than merit,” he said. Under the new rules, only four categories of honorary degrees will be recognised: Doctor of Laws (LL.D), Doctor of Letters (D.Lit), Doctor of Science (D.Sc), and Doctor of Humanities (D.Arts).
The policy also bars universities that do not run PhD programmes from awarding honorary doctorates. The government further directed that all honorary degrees must explicitly include the term “Honoris Causa” on certificates and official references, to distinguish them from earned academic qualifications.
To ensure compliance, the National Universities Commission will oversee enforcement, while the Ministry of Education plans to monitor university convocations and publish an annual list of legitimate honorary degree recipients.
The ‘Dr’ title for honorary degree holders in Nigeria has long been a subject of controversy, with critics accusing institutions of commercialising academic honours.
The government believes the new policy will curb these practices and strengthen public trust in Nigeria’s education system.
Officials say the move marks a decisive step toward safeguarding academic standards and preventing the misrepresentation of credentials in both public and professional spaces.
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