By Our Correspondent

National News – The Federal Government of Nigeria has banned recipients of honorary degrees from using the “Dr” title, declaring the practice misleading and fraudulent.

The directive was announced on May 6, 2026, in Abuja by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, following approval by the Federal Executive Council.

Alausa explained that the misuse of honorary titles has grown into a widespread issue, often linked to political patronage and financial influence.

Under the new rule, recipients must instead place their honorary titles after their names, clearly marked as “Honoris Causa” to distinguish them from earned degrees.

The government also limited honorary awards to four recognised categories: Doctor of Laws (LL.D), Doctor of Letters (D.Lit), Doctor of Science (D.Sc), and Doctor of Humanities (D.Arts).

Universities without active PhD programmes are now barred from issuing such honours, a move aimed at curbing the proliferation of questionable awards by newer institutions.

To ensure compliance, the Ministry of Education, alongside the National Universities Commission, will monitor convocation ceremonies and publish annual lists of verified recipients.

Offenders risk legal penalties and reputational damage for misrepresenting their academic status.

The decision reinforces earlier but unenforced guidelines, giving them legal backing and signaling a stricter approach to safeguarding Nigeria’s academic standards.