THE National Universities Commission (NUC) has banned universities in Nigeria from conferring honorary doctorate awards to serving public officials, including politicians and appointed office holders.
News Point Nigeria reports tThe Commission has also uncovered 32 institutions operating as honorary doctorate degree mills, including 10 unaccredited foreign universities, 4 unlicensed local universities.
Executive Secretary of NUC, Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, announced this in Abuja on Friday while receiving a report from a committee investigating the award and public use/misuse of honorary doctorate degrees by recipients in Nigeria.
Ribadu vowed that the Commission will begin a crackdown on illegal universities awarding fake degrees to individuals across the country, in collaboration with law enforcement and other relevant government agencies, warning that the era where universities scout for those to be conferred with honorary doctorates for monetary patronage must be stopped.
He also warned that those found to be misusing the honorary doctorate title of “Dr” publicly without indicating the right nomenclature of Doctor of Literature (Honoris Causa) or the title D. Litt. (h.c.), would be prosecuted.
He explained that honorary doctorate degrees are meant to recognise outstanding service or achievements of an individual not currently serving in a public office, citing the honorary doctorate degree awarded to former President Goodluck Jonathan by Nile University, Abuja, on Wednesday, about 10 years after he left office, as a credible example of best practice.
While providing further insight, Prof. Ribadu clarified that only approved public or private universities are eligible to award honorary doctorate degrees, stressing that the recipients must use appropriate nomenclature, such as Doctor of Literature (Honoris Causa), rather than adopting the title “Dr”, which is reserved for holders of earned doctorates and medical professionals.
He revealed that the report of the investigation was alarming, noting that the Committee identified 32 institutions operating as honorary doctorate degree mills, including 10 unaccredited foreign universities, 4 unlicensed local universities, 15 professional bodies with no degree-awarding powers, and 3 other non-degree-awarding institutions.
The NUC boss noted that the steps being taken by the Commission were to curb the growing misuse of honorary doctorate degrees in the country, including a decisive ban on the award of such degrees to serving public officials.
Ribadu said: “The Honorary doctorate degrees are meant to recognise outstanding service or achievements of an individual.
“Unfortunately, these awards have increasingly been misused by recipients. More troubling is the rise of unaccredited and illegal institutions (both local and foreign) that operate as honorary doctorate degree mills in Nigeria.
“They offer these degrees without merit, without oversight, and without legitimacy. In response to this disturbing trend, an investigation was carried out by the National Universities Commission (NUC) to examine how these degrees are awarded and used across Nigeria.
“The findings are deeply concerning. This is especially so because many institutions do not comply with the Keffi Declaration of 2012. This is the policy agreed upon by the Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian universities to regulate the award of honorary doctorate degrees.
“It prohibits the award of honorary degrees to serving public officials and cautions recipients against using the title “Dr” without proper disclosure. This is not just a matter of ethics; it is a matter of law.
“Using the title ‘Dr.’ based on an honorary degree without clarification amounts to false representation, which is punishable under various fraud-related laws in Nigeria. Beyond the legal implications, this trend threatens the integrity of our universities and the value of genuine academic qualifications. It undermines the hard work of scholars and diminishes public trust in our education system.
“The guidelines are that an honorary doctorate should not be awarded to a certain public office holder, whether appointed or elected. That is one and no self-nomination as well. You cannot nominate yourself. If you want to award, then award it to somebody who is not in office, or who has left office.
“A good example, I was at Nile University on Wednesday, where the former President, Goodluck Jonathan, was awarded an Honorary Doctorate degree by the University. And that’s how it should be. He is not in office, but more than 10 years after leaving office, he was awarded. That means they found him worthy.
“But when you award somebody who is in office, then you are looking for patronage, and to the extent there are people who even buy, so to speak. You give the university 20 million, 30 million, 40 million, 50 million to a doctorate degree, and they go about branding themselves as doctors, comparing themselves to people who have worked tirelessly to earn a PhD, and the public does not know.
“They don’t know who is a doctorate, who has earned a PhD, and they do not know who has earned an honorary doctorate degree, this is not you are not called acceptable.
“The report of the investigation identifies 32 institutions operating as honorary doctorate degree mills, including 10 unaccredited foreign universities, 4 unlicensed local universities, 15 professional bodies with no degree-awarding powers, and 3 other non-degree-awarding institutions.
“It should be noted that this figure may not be exhaustive. It is even more alarming that some of these institutions go as far as awarding fake professorships.
“Let us be clear; awarding honorary degrees is a legal responsibility of Nigerian universities and The Education (National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institutions) Act, Chapter E2, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, L. F. N. 2004, empowers the National Universities Commission to regulate the award and use of honorary doctorate degrees in Nigeria.
“Hence, the Commission is determined to guide the proper use of honorary degrees, regulate their awards, as well as protect the sanctity of our university educational system. For the avoidance of doubt, only approved universities (either public or private) are eligible to award honorary doctorate degrees in Nigeria.
“Furthermore, the recipients of the awards are at liberty to use the nomenclature, such as Doctor of Literature (Honoris Causa) or the title D. Litt. (h.c.) at the end of their names, but they must refrain from using the title “Dr” which is the designation for PhD holders and medical personnel.
“Additionally, they are not permitted to use the honorary doctorate degree to practise as scholars or professionals, supervise research or oversee administrative units,” he stated.
Prof. Ribadu disclosed that the National Universities Commission under his watch has developed a national guideline for the award and use of honorary doctorate degrees, saying this would soon be published, and the Commission will begin a clampdown on honorary degree mills in collaboration with law enforcement and other relevant government agencies.
“We are soliciting the support of all stakeholders, relevant government agencies, and the public in restoring honour to our honorary degrees. Let us defend the dignity of the Nigerian higher education,” he stated.