By Gideon Maxwell
May 7, 2026
Nigeria’s Federal Government has introduced a new policy prohibiting recipients of honorary doctorate degrees from using the title “Dr” before their names.
The decision is aimed at protecting academic standards and preventing misrepresentation of qualifications.
The Minister of Education announced the directive following concerns over the increasing misuse of honorary titles across public and private spaces.
Under the new rule, only individuals with earned doctoral degrees from accredited academic programmes or licensed medical doctors are permitted to use the “Dr” prefix.
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Honorary degree recipients are expected to indicate the honorary nature of their awards in all formal and public representations.
The government said the policy is designed to restore credibility to the university system and reduce public confusion between earned academic achievements and symbolic honours.
Authorities also warned that violations of the directive could attract sanctions under revised academic and professional guidelines.
Universities have been placed under stricter supervision regarding the awarding of honorary degrees, including tighter eligibility criteria and limits on frequency.
The National Universities Commission is expected to enforce compliance and ensure institutions adhere to standardised practices in the conferment of honorary awards.
Officials argue that the reform is part of broader efforts to strengthen integrity within Nigeria’s higher education framework and curb the commercialisation of academic honours.
