NUC Receives Report on Politicisation and Misuse of Honorary Doctorates
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has received a report examining the politicisation and abuse of honorary doctorate degrees in Nigeria’s universities.
In September 2025, the NUC inaugurated a five‑member committee to investigate how honorary doctorates are awarded and misused.
The panel is chaired by former Ahmadu Bello University Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kabiru Bala, and includes several senior academics and NUC officials.
The committee’s mandate includes:
Reviewing the criteria and processes used by universities to confer honorary doctorates.
Evaluating the impact of recipients using the “Dr.” title in public and professional spheres.
Making recommendations to ensure transparency, accountability, and integrity in how honorary degrees are awarded.
This development comes amid increasing public concern. Critics argue that some honorary doctorates have been politicised or granted under questionable circumstances, particularly to serving public officials.
Academics have also decried the commercialisation of academic titles in Nigeria. Several professors have warned against the indiscriminate and “cash-for-title” conferral of honorary degrees, noting that it undermines genuine scholarship.
As the NUC committee begins its work, stakeholders are watching closely. Many hope the resulting recommendations will help safeguard academic standards, prevent misuse of honorary titles, and restore public trust in Nigerian higher education.