NUC Threatens Sanctions over Abuse of Honorary Doctorate Awards

The National Universities Commission has raised the alarm over what it described as the growing trend of indiscriminate award and misuse of honorary doctorate degrees across Nigerian universities, warning that erring institutions and individuals risk sanctions.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the commission expressed “grave concern” about the rising cases of improper conferment of honorary doctoral titles within the nation’s university system.

To address the development, the NUC said it had approved a comprehensive 16-point guideline to regulate the process for awarding and using honorary doctorate degrees in the country.

The regulatory body explained that the move was in line with its statutory mandate under the Education Act (National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institutions), CAP E3, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

According to the commission, the new framework is designed to ensure due process in the conferment of honorary awards, protect academic standards, and uphold the credibility of Nigerian universities.

The NUC directed all universities and other degree-awarding institutions in the country to comply strictly with the newly approved guidelines.

It noted that the directive aligns with the principles of the Keffi Declaration, to which vice-chancellors of Nigerian universities are signatories.

The commission further clarified that honorary doctorate degrees, whether conferred locally or by foreign institutions, are ceremonial distinctions and must not be presented or treated as equivalent to academic doctorates earned through rigorous study and research.

Reaffirming its commitment to safeguarding the integrity and global standing of the Nigerian university system, the NUC stressed that all stakeholders must adhere to the established procedures governing the award and use of honorary doctorates.

It warned that appropriate regulatory measures would be taken against any institution that violates the approved guidelines, as well as against individuals found to be misusing honorary titles.