NUC Bars Honorary Degree Recipients From Using ‘Dr’ Title

NUC Bars Honorary Degree Recipients From Using ‘Dr’ Title

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has issued new guidelines restricting the award of honorary degrees, including a directive that recipients must not use the “Dr.” title.

The commission said the move is aimed at addressing what it described as the growing abuse and indiscriminate conferment of honorary awards, which has eroded the value of earned academic distinctions.

Under the revised rules, only universities that have produced their first set of PhD graduates will be permitted to award honorary degrees. This effectively disqualifies newer institutions that have yet to reach that milestone.

The NUC also clarified that honorary awardees are not entitled to prefix their names with “Dr.” Instead, they are expected to use post-nominal descriptions such as Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa), abbreviated as D.Sc (H.C).

It stressed that the “Dr.” title remains reserved for individuals who have completed doctoral studies or are qualified medical practitioners.

In addition, the commission banned any form of financial inducement in the conferment of honorary degrees, insisting that such recognitions must be based strictly on merit and awarded free of charge.

To check excesses, universities have been directed to limit honorary awards to a maximum of three per convocation ceremony. The guidelines also prohibit self-nomination, while serving public officials; whether elected or appointed are ineligible for consideration.

As part of transparency measures, institutions are now required to publish the names of recipients on their official websites and establish clear procedures for withdrawing honours from individuals later found guilty of misconduct.

The commission further clarified that honorary degrees do not grant academic or professional privileges, including the right to practise regulated professions, supervise research or hold administrative positions within universities.

The NUC warned that any institution that violates the new regulations will face sanctions.