Dare Babalola
The Federal Government has prohibited individuals who receive honorary degrees from adding the “Dr” title to their names, in a new policy aimed at protecting the credibility and integrity of academic awards in Nigeria.
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, made the announcement on Wednesday during a press briefing at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, following a Federal Executive Council meeting held on April 30.
He said the decision was necessary due to growing concerns over the misuse and politicisation of honorary doctorate awards, warning that the trend had undermined the essence of the recognition.
Alausa said, “The recent trend we’ve seen with the award of honorary degrees has revealed a growing abuse and politicisation of this academic privilege. 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.”
He explained that the policy aims to restore public confidence in academic titles and ensure that such honours are not misrepresented or used to confer unearned professional status.
According to him, the government has observed that some recipients of honorary degrees have been using the “Dr” prefix in ways that blur the distinction between earned academic qualifications and ceremonial awards.
The ministry said further regulatory guidelines will be issued to universities and awarding bodies to ensure strict compliance with the new directive.
