NUC Bars Honorary Degree Holders From Using ‘Dr’ Title

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has barred recipients of honorary doctorate degrees in Nigeria from using the title “Dr” before their names.

The directive is part of new guidelines introduced by the commission to regulate the conferment and usage of honorary degrees across Nigerian universities.

According to the NUC, honorary doctorate awards are strictly ceremonial and do not confer the same academic or professional status as earned doctoral degrees.

The commission emphasised that the “Dr” title is reserved for individuals who have completed accredited doctoral programmes or are qualified medical practitioners, warning that misuse of the title undermines academic integrity.

Under the new rules, recipients of honorary degrees are required to use the appropriate designation such as “Honoris Causa” after their names instead of prefixing “Dr”.

The NUC also warned universities against the indiscriminate award of honorary doctorates, stating that only institutions with established postgraduate credentials are eligible to confer such honours.

The commission further disclosed that sanctions would be imposed on institutions that violate the guidelines, as part of efforts to restore credibility to Nigeria’s higher education system.

The move comes amid growing concerns over the increasing number of honorary doctorate awards and the misuse of academic titles in the country.