Nigeria Bans Dr Prefix for Honorary Degree Holders

ABUJA, Nigeria – The Nigerian Federal Government has banned recipients of honorary degrees from prefixing "Dr" to their names in official, academic, or professional contexts, declaring such usage academic fraud subject to legal and reputational consequences.

Education Minister Tunji Alausa announced the policy Wednesday while briefing State House correspondents in Abuja, flanked by Minister of State for Education Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad. The Federal Executive Council approved the uniform guidelines for honorary degree awards by Nigerian universities during its meeting last Thursday.

The policy addresses decades of abuse, including awards given for political patronage, financial gain, and to serving public officials, which Alausa said contradict ethical standards. "The recent trend we've seen with the award of honorary degrees has revealed a growing abuse and politicisation of this academic privilege," Alausa stated.

Recipients must now use full designations after their names, such as "Chief Louis Clark, D.Lit. (Doctor of Literature, Honoris Causa)" or "Mrs. Miriam Adamu, LL.D. (Hons.)." Universities are limited to conferring four types: Doctor of Laws (LL.D.), Doctor of Letters...