Nigeria’s Federal Government has moved to restrict the use of the “Dr” title exclusively to holders of earned academic degrees, effectively prohibiting recipients of honorary doctorates from adopting the designation.
Education Minister Tunji Alausa disclosed the policy shift during a press briefing at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday, noting that the decision was reached at the Federal Executive Council meeting held on April 30.
Alausa framed the directive as a necessary step to protect the credibility of academic titles, citing a pattern of misuse that has eroded public trust. According to the minister, honorary degrees have increasingly been deployed as tools of political patronage and financial leverage, with some awards granted to serving public officials — a practice he described as a violation of the established ethics governing such honours.
READ ALSO:
- Ex-Gang Leader Duane Davis Guilty of Murdering Tupac Shakur
- Tertiary Institutions Must Now Participate in National Ranking, FG Declares
- Governor Dauda Lawal Mourns Sarkin Zamfaran Zurmi, Alhaji Bello Sulaiman
- IPOB Threatens Election Boycott, Gives FG 14 Days to List Kanu’s Appeal
- 2027: Opposition Parties Propose Single Four-Year Term to Stop Tinubu
