NUC develops policy on honorary degrees to end racketeering

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has developed a policy on honorary degrees to end racketeering.

Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, a representative of the commission, addressed journalists at a conference in Abuja on Friday.

He said the NUC also plans to clamp down on 32 institutions engaging in racketeering of honorary doctorates.

These include unaccredited foreign and local universities aiding the misuse of these prestigious titles.

Ribadu said the awards, which are meant to recognise outstanding service or achievements, are increasingly being misused by recipients.

More troubling, he noted, is that these local and foreign institutions are offering the honours without merit, oversight, and legitimacy.

He said NUC’s investigation into the matter yielded concerning findings, particularly non-compliance with the Keffi Declaration of 2012.

“This is the policy agreed upon by vice-chancellors of Nigerian universities to regulate the award of honorary doctorate degrees,” Ribadu said.

“It prohibits the award of honorary degrees to serving public officials and cautions recipients against using the title ‘Dr’ without proper disclosure.”

The NUC official warned that using the title “Dr” based on an honorary degree without clarification is considered false representation, punishable under various fraud-related laws in Nigeria.

“Beyond the legal implications, this trend threatens the integrity of our universities and the value of genuine academic qualifications. It undermines the hard work of scholars and diminishes public trust in our education system,” he added.

The investigation report identified 32 institutions operating as honorary doctorate mills, noting that this figure “may not be exhaustive.”

The institutions identified include 10 unaccredited foreign universities, four unlicensed local universities, 15 professional bodies with no degree-awarding powers, and three other non-degree-awarding institutions

Ribadu said some of these institutions are going as far as awarding fake professorships.

NUC said the right to award honorary degrees is exclusively vested in approved Nigerian universities, as empowered by the Education (National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institutions) Act, Chapter E2, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, L.F.N. 2004.

The commission, Ribadu said, has developed a guideline for the award and use of honorary degrees, which will be published soon.

Outlining the rules for recipients of the awards, he said they are at liberty to use the full nomenclature, such as Doctor of Literature (Honoris Causa) or the title D. Litt. (h.c.) at the end of their names.

He said they must, however, refrain from using the title “Dr”, which is the designation for PhD holders and medical personnel.

They are not permitted to use the honorary doctorate to practise as scholars or professionals, supervise research, or oversee administrative units.