25 November, 2025
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.”
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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
