The National Universities Commission (NUC) has unveiled new guidelines governing the award and use of honorary doctorate degrees in Nigeria, citing concerns over their growing indiscriminate conferment and misuse across the country’s university system.
In a public notice posted on its official X page on Thursday, the Commission said the guidelines were issued under its authority from the Education (National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institutions) Act, CAP E3, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
“The Commission has observed, with grave concern, the increasing incidence of indiscriminate conferment and misuse of honorary doctorate degrees within the Nigerian University System,” the notice stated. “In response, comprehensive guidelines for the award and use of these degrees have been approved.”
The new framework aims to regulate the conferment process, preserve academic integrity, and protect the credibility and global reputation of Nigerian universities. All universities and degree-awarding institutions in the country have been directed to strictly follow the provisions, with warnings that regulatory sanctions will be applied to institutions or individuals found in violation.
The Commission emphasized that honorary doctorate degrees, whether awarded domestically or internationally, remain honorary distinctions and do not carry the same status as earned academic doctorates. It described the awards as non-earned degrees conferred honoris causa to recognize exceptional merit, public service, scholarly impact, creative achievements, or other contributions aligned with the values and mission of the awarding institution.
NUC Executive Secretary Prof. Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu explained that the guidelines were developed in line with established academic traditions, including the 2012 Keffi Declaration by the Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, and with inputs from universities submitted in December 2025.
“The framework provides informed policy direction, strengthens institutional practices, and promotes a transparent and accountable system for awarding and using honorary doctorate degrees in Nigeria,” Prof. Ribadu said.
The move follows investigations revealing widespread misuse of honorary doctorate degrees across Nigerian higher education institutions.