FG Approves Guidelines to Regulate Honorary Doctorate Awards

The Federal Government has approved a new set of guidelines regulating the award and use of honorary doctorate degrees in Nigeria as part of efforts to strengthen academic integrity and restore confidence in the university system.

 

The policy, approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), establishes clear rules governing the eligibility, nomination, conferment, usage and revocation of honorary doctoral awards.

 

The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, Folasade Boriowo.

 

According to the statement, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, said the guidelines were introduced to address growing concerns over the abuse, commercialisation and misuse of honorary academic awards.

 

“The Federal Government has approved comprehensive guidelines for the award and use of honorary doctorate degrees in Nigeria to strengthen academic integrity, transparency and the credibility of the university system,” the statement said.

 

The minister explained that the framework was developed by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and subsequently approved by the Federal Executive Council.

 

Under the new policy, only universities that have successfully graduated their first set of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) students will be eligible to confer honorary doctorate degrees.

 

The guidelines also limit institutions to a maximum of three honorary doctorate awards per convocation ceremony.

 

In addition, all honorary degrees must carry the designation “Honoris Causa,” while recipients are prohibited from using the title “Dr” solely on the basis of receiving an honorary doctorate.

 

To ensure compliance, the government has established oversight measures, including a Special Fraud Unit under the NUC to monitor adherence to the regulations.

 

Universities are also required to publicly disclose the names of recipients, provide orientation programmes for awardees and maintain procedures for revoking honorary degrees where necessary.

 

“The policy restricts eligibility to approved universities that have graduated their first PhD set and limits awards to a maximum of three per convocation.

 

“All honorary degrees must carry the designation ‘Honoris Causa,’ and recipients are prohibited from using the title ‘Dr,’” the statement added.

 

The minister warned that institutions that violate the guidelines could face sanctions, including the suspension of accreditation activities and the dissolution of governing councils.

 

The approval follows earlier efforts by the NUC to curb the indiscriminate conferment of honorary doctorates and preserve the credibility of Nigeria’s university system.

 

The commission had previously expressed concern over the growing abuse of honorary awards and the activities of organisations without legal authority to confer such honours.