By Our Reporter
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has uncovered 32 fraudulent entities involved in the sale of honorary doctorate degrees across Nigeria, prompting a stern warning and an upcoming nationwide clampdown.
In a statement issued by its Executive Secretary, Prof. Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, the Commission described the proliferation of illegal honorary degree awards as a “growing national concern.” According to him, honorary doctorates—meant to acknowledge exceptional contributions are now being commercialised by institutions operating as degree mills.
The NUC-led investigation identified
- 10 unaccredited foreign universities,
- 4 unlicensed local universities,
- 15 professional bodies with no authority to award degrees, and
- 3 non-degree-awarding institutions
all illegally conferring honorary doctorate titles. Some of them, Prof. Ribadu noted, have even gone as far as issuing fake professorships.
He cautioned that individuals who use honorary awards to portray themselves as PhD holders are engaging in fraudulent misrepresentation punishable under Nigerian law.
“Using the title ‘Dr’ based on an honorary degree without clarification amounts to false representation,” he warned.
Prof. Ribadu also expressed disappointment over the persistent neglect of the Keffi Declaration of 2012, which forbids Nigerian universities from awarding honorary degrees to serving public officials and prevents recipients from using the “Dr” prefix.
Reaffirming the NUC’s authority under the Education (National Minimum Standards) Act, he stressed that only approved universities may confer honorary doctorates—and even then, recipients must stick to formats like Doctor of Literature (Honoris Causa) or D.Litt (h.c.). Such awards do not permit holders to use the “Dr” title professionally, supervise academic work, act as scholars, or occupy academic administrative roles.
The Executive Secretary revealed that the Commission has completed a national guideline governing the award and use of honorary degrees. Once published, the NUC, in partnership with security agencies, will begin an aggressive crackdown on fake degree mills and individuals misusing honorary titles.
He called on the public, education stakeholders and law enforcement to support the effort to restore integrity within the Nigerian higher education system.
“Let us defend the dignity of our higher institutions and restore honour to honorary degrees,” he appeal
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