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Nigeria Bans Honorary Degree Holders from Using ‘Dr’ Title
The Federal Government has officially banned recipients of honorary degrees from using the “Dr” title as a prefix to their names, in a move aimed at curbing the misuse and politicisation of academic honours.
The directive was announced on Wednesday by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, following a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Speaking to State House correspondents, Alausa expressed concern over what he described as the growing abuse of honorary doctorate awards across the country.
“The recent trend we’ve seen with the award of honorary degrees has revealed a growing abuse and politicisation of this academic privilege,” he said.
“We’ve seen awards being used for political patronage, for financial gain, as well as the conferral of awards on serving public officials, which, as part of the ethics of honorary degree awards, should not happen.”
New Directive Takes Effect
Under the new policy, individuals conferred with honorary doctorate degrees will no longer be allowed to use “Dr” as a prefix in any official, academic, or professional setting.
Instead, recipients are required to clearly state the full honorary designation after their names—for example, John Doe, Honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt)—rather than adopting the “Dr” title.
The government clarified that only individuals who have earned doctoral degrees through academic study or are certified medical practitioners will retain the legal and professional right to use the “Dr” prefix.
Move to Restore Academic Integrity
The decision is part of broader efforts by the Federal Government to restore credibility and integrity to Nigeria’s education system, particularly in the awarding of honorary degrees.
Education stakeholders have long raised concerns over the proliferation of honorary doctorate awards, with some institutions accused of granting such honours without strict academic or ethical standards.
Observers say the new regulation is expected to discourage the commercialisation of honorary degrees and reinforce the distinction between earned academic qualifications and ceremonial recognitions.
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