*Photo: Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa*
Only medical doctors and those who earned Doctorate degrees through PhD programs in the University System are henceforth allowed to use the Prefix “Dr’ before their names.
Those who are conferred with honorary doctorate degrees have been barred from using the Prefix before their names according to the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa.
Alausa during a press conference at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday May 6,2026 said the decision was ratified by the Federal Executive Council at its meeting of April 30,2026. He said the decision was taken because of growing abuse and politicization of this academic privilege.
The Minister said the Federal Government has also restricted the types of honorary degrees Nigerian universities can confer to four: Doctor of Laws (LL.D), Doctor of Letters (D.Lit), Doctor of Science (D.Sc), and Doctor of Humanities (D.Arts).
The full statement reads:
“The recent trend we’ve seen with the award of honorary degrees has revealed a growing abuse and politicisation of this academic privilege.
“We’ve seen awards being used for political patronage, for financial gain, as well as the conferral of awards on serving public officials, which, as part of the ethics of honorary degree awards, should not happen.Under the new policy, recipients of honorary degrees may no longer put “Dr” before their names. Instead, they must cite the full honorary designation after their name. “For instance, you can use Chief Louis Clark, D.Lit. (Doctor of Literature, Honoris Causa)” or “Mrs Miriam Adamu, LL.D. Hons.This format clearly reflects the honorary rather than earned academic nature of the award.
Recipients shall not prefix doctor to their names in official, academic or professional usage.
Misrepresentation of honorary degrees as earned academic credentials shall be considered academic fraud and subject to legal and reputational consequences.”