NUC warns against misuse of honorary doctorates in Nigerian varsities

The National Universities Commission has expressed concern over the growing misuse of honorary doctorate degrees by Nigerian universities and unaccredited institutions across the country.

The Commission’s Executive Secretary, Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, disclosed this on Friday in Abuja while presenting the findings of an investigation into the “awards and public misuse of honorary doctorate degrees.”

According to a Daily Trust report, Ribadu said the inquiry, which covered 61 institutions and professional bodies, revealed “deeply concerning” practices, including the indiscriminate conferment of honorary degrees and even the awarding of fake professorships.

“The report of the investigation identified 32 institutions operating as honorary doctorate degree mills, including 10 unaccredited foreign universities, 4 unlicensed local universities, 15 professional bodies with no degree-awarding powers and 3 other non-degree awarding institutions

It’s even more alarming that some of these institutions go as far as awarding fake professorships,” he said.

The NUC boss warned that recipients of honorary doctorates must not use the title “Dr” as part of their names, stressing that such titles are reserved for holders of PhDs or medical degrees.

“The recipients of the awards are at liberty to use the nomenclature such as Doctor of Literature, but must refrain from using the title ‘Dr,’ which is the designation of PhD holders and medical personnel.

Additionally, they are not permitted to use the honorary doctorate degree to practice as scholars or professionals, supervise research or oversee administrative units,” he added.

He added that honorary degree holders are prohibited from practising as scholars, supervising research, or overseeing administrative units.

Ribadu emphasised that the awarding of honorary degrees is a legal responsibility reserved for Nigerian universities and that the NUC has the mandate to regulate both their award and use

Report that the investigation follows a committee set up to examine the politicisation and public misuse of honorary doctorate degrees in Nigeria.

The five-member panel, chaired by NUC Visiting Professor and former Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kabiru Bala, was tasked with proposing ethical guidelines and best practices for awarding and regulating honorary degrees.

Speaking at Nile University’s 13th convocation on Wednesday, Ribadu noted that many universities have ignored the 2012 Keffi Declaration, which prohibits awarding honorary doctorates to serving public officers.

“We have what is called the Keffi Declaration from 2012. The Keffi Declaration is against the award of honorary doctorates to serving officers, whether political or not. But a lot of our universities do not follow it,” he said.

In recent years, both accredited and unaccredited institutions have awarded honorary degrees to politicians, business leaders, and celebrities, raising questions about the legitimacy of some awards.

The NUC said it will guide the proper use of honorary degrees to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s university system and uphold academic standards.