The Federal Government has barred recipients of honorary degrees from using the title “Dr” as part of measures to curb the abuse of academic honours in the country.
The decision was announced on Wednesday by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, during a media briefing at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
He said the resolution was reached at the Federal Executive Council meeting held on 30th April 2026.
Alausa stated that the move was aimed at ending decades of indiscriminate conferment of degrees for political patronage and financial gain.
He noted that the recent trend in awarding honorary degrees had revealed a growing abuse and politicisation of the academic privilege, with awards being used for political favours, financial gain, and even conferred on serving public officials, which contradicts the ethics of honorary degree awards.
