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Nigerian government approves new rules for honorary doctorate awards to curb abuse
via Punch Nigeria2 min read
The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved new guidelines for the award and use of honorary doctorate degrees in Nigerian universities. This move aims to enhance academic integrity, transparency, and the credibility of the university system, addressing concerns about the abuse and commercialization of such awards. The policy, developed by the National Universities Commission NUC and approved by the Federal Executive Council, was announced by Folasade Boriowo, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education. Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa, stated that the guidelines were introduced to tackle the misuse of honorary academic awards. Under the new regulations, only universities that have graduated their first set of PhD students are eligible to confer honorary degrees, with a limit of three awards per convocation ceremony. All honorary doctorates must include the designation "Honoris Causa," and recipients are prohibited from using the title "Dr" based solely on the award. Universities are also mandated to publish recipients' names, provide orientation for awardees, and establish procedures for award revocation. The government has implemented oversight mechanisms, including an NUC monitoring unit, to ensure compliance. Non-compliant institutions face sanctions such as the suspension of accreditation activities and potential dissolution of governing councils. These guidelines follow earlier concerns raised by the NUC in February regarding t
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