FG bans ‘Dr’ title for honorary degree holders, warns of fraud sanctions

The Federal Government has banned recipients of honorary degrees from using the title “Dr” as a prefix to their names, declaring such usage as academic misrepresentation that could attract legal consequences.

 

Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, announced the directive on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, while briefing State House correspondents on decisions approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

 

He said the new policy aims to curb the abuse and politicisation of honorary degrees, which have increasingly been awarded for political patronage and financial gain.

 

“Recipients shall not prefix ‘Doctor’ to their names in official, academic or professional usage. Misrepresentation of honorary degrees as earned academic credentials shall be considered academic fraud,” Alausa said.

 

Under the new guidelines, recipients must instead attach the honorary designation after their names, clearly indicating its status.

 

“For instance, you can write Chief Louis Clark, D.Lit. (Honoris Causa) or Mrs Miriam Adamu, LL.D. (Hons),” the minister explained.

 

The policy also limits Nigerian universities to awarding only four categories of honorary degrees: Doctor of Laws (LL.D), Doctor of Letters (D.Lit), Doctor of Science (D.Sc), and Doctor of Humanities (D.Arts).

 

In addition, institutions without active PhD programmes are barred from conferring honorary degrees.

 

Alausa said the move is necessary to address the growing trend of indiscriminate awards, particularly by newer universities lacking postgraduate research capacity.

 

He added that all honorary degrees must clearly carry the words “Honoris Causa” or “Honorary” on certificates and official references.

 

The minister noted that previous efforts by academic bodies to regulate the practice lacked enforcement powers, prompting the government to seek FEC approval to give the policy legal backing.

 

The National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Ministry of Education have been directed to issue compliance guidelines, while convocation ceremonies will be monitored.

 

The government also plans to publish an annual list of legitimate honorary degree recipients and collaborate with the media to discourage misuse of academic titles.