NUC issues new guidelines on awarding honorary doctorates

The National Universities Commission has introduced new guidelines to regulate the conferment and use of honorary doctorate degrees in Nigeria, citing growing concerns over their indiscriminate award and misuse across the Nigerian University System.

In a public notice shared on its official X page on Thursday, the Commission said the guidelines were approved under its statutory powers as provided by the Education (National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institutions) Act, CAP E3, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

According to the notice, the Commission observed a troubling rise in the unchecked conferment and improper use of honorary doctorate degrees, prompting the approval of comprehensive rules to guide their award and usage nationwide.

The NUC explained that the new framework is intended to standardise the conferment process, uphold academic integrity, and protect the credibility and international standing of Nigeria’s university system. All universities and degree-awarding institutions were directed to comply strictly with the provisions, with a warning that regulatory sanctions would be applied to institutions or individuals found in breach.

The Commission further clarified that honorary doctorate degrees whether awarded locally or internationally—are purely honorary and should not be treated as equivalent to earned academic doctorates. It described them as non-earned distinctions conferred honoris causa to recognise exceptional merit, outstanding public service, scholarly or creative achievements, or other significant contributions aligned with the values of the awarding institution.

Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, said the guidelines were developed in line with established academic traditions in Nigeria, including resolutions of the Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities as outlined in the Keffi Declaration of 2012, as well as inputs submitted by universities in December 2025.

He noted that the framework aims to provide clear policy direction, strengthen institutional practices, and promote transparency and accountability in the award and use of honorary doctorate degrees.

The Commission said the guidelines followed an investigation that uncovered widespread abuse of honorary doctorate titles. The probe, which covered 61 institutions and professional bodies, reportedly identified 32 entities operating as honorary degree mills, including unaccredited foreign universities, unlicensed local institutions, and professional bodies without degree-awarding authority. Some were also found to be issuing fake professorial titles.

The NUC warned that recipients of honorary doctorates must not use the title “Dr,” which is reserved for holders of earned PhDs or medical degrees, and must not use such honours to practise as academics, supervise research, or manage academic units.

NUC-Approved Guidelines on Honorary Doctorate Degrees

• Institutional eligibility: Only approved public or private universities may award honorary doctorates in Nigeria.
• Maturity requirement: Only universities that have produced their first set of PhD graduates are eligible.
• Purpose of the award: To recognise exceptional and sustained contributions that reflect institutional values and promote diversity.
• Criteria: Selection criteria must be clear, transparent, and inclusive, with balanced representation across gender, nationality, discipline, and other considerations. Procedures must be published on the institution’s official website.
• Recipient eligibility: Self-nominated candidates and serving elected or appointed public officials are not eligible.
• Confidentiality: The nomination process must remain confidential until approved by the University Senate and Governing Council.
• Nomination process: All nominations must be handled by the appropriate statutory committee.
• Approval: Senate and Governing Council approval is mandatory.
• Number of awards: No more than three honorary doctorates may be awarded at any convocation.
• Nomenclature: All awards must carry the designation Honoris Causa, e.g., Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa), D.Sc. (h.c.).
• Conferment: Awards must be conferred in person, except in exceptional cases where virtual, in-absentia, or posthumous conferment may apply.
• No fees: Awards must be granted without any fee or expectation of payment.
• Usage: Recipients may use the approved honorary designation but must not use the title “Dr” or deploy the award for academic, professional, or administrative authority.

Additional provisions include mandatory orientation for recipients on proper usage, regular publication of recipients’ names on institutional websites to promote transparency, and the establishment of revocation mechanisms where a recipient is found guilty of fraud or conduct inconsistent with institutional values.

The Commission reaffirmed that the guidelines align with the Keffi Declaration of 2012 and stressed that strict compliance is mandatory, warning again that sanctions will apply to any institution that violates the approved framework.