Federal Government has prohibited recipients of honorary degrees from using the title “Dr” as part of their names, in a move aimed at protecting the credibility of academic distinctions.
The announcement was made by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, during a media briefing held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday.
According to the minister, the directive was approved at a recent Federal Executive Council meeting held on April 30. He explained that the policy seeks to curb the growing misuse of honorary awards and restore public trust in academic titles.
Alausa expressed concern over what he described as the increasing politicisation and abuse of honorary degrees, noting that such recognitions have, in some cases, been awarded for reasons unrelated to academic or societal contributions.
He further criticized the practice of conferring honorary degrees on serving public officials, describing it as unethical and inconsistent with established academic standards.
“The recent trend shows that honorary degrees are being exploited for political patronage and financial gain,” he said, stressing that the new policy is intended to reinforce the integrity of Nigeria’s education system.
The directive is expected to take immediate effect, signaling a stricter approach to the use and perception of honorary academic honours in the country.
