In Nigeria today, few titles command as much public reverence as “Dr.” Yet more and more, the title no longer signifies years of academic labor. Instead, it has become a badge of prestige adopted by recipients of honorary doctorates — many of them political officeholders, celebrities, or religious leaders.
Across convocation stages in the country, a troubling trend is emerging. Honorary degrees, once reserved for individuals with exceptional contributions to scholarship or national development, are now routinely awarded to governors, lawmakers, entertainers, and clerics. Some are honored during election campaigns, others while still in office. In many cases, these recipients proudly adopt the “Dr.” title without clarifying that it was not earned through academic research but symbolically conferred.
What should be a ceremonial recognition has become a tool for image branding — used in campaign posters, public speeches, and official documents.
A recent policy shift in Ethiopia has reignited conversation around the abuse of academic honors across the continent. In a sweeping reform, the Ethiopian Ministry of Education banned the use of the “Dr.” title by holders of honorary degrees outside the conferring university. The directive also prohibits universities from awarding honorary degrees to serving politicians and public officials, and imposes tighter restrictions on institutions qualified to confer such distinctions.
The move has sparked interest in academic circles across Africa. The question for Nigeria now is whether it can summon the political and institutional will to confront its own culture of unearned titles.
Nigeria’s relationship with honorary doctorates is both entrenched and problematic. These degrees are staples of university convocation ceremonies, typically meant to recognize outstanding achievements in leadership, philanthropy, or the arts and sciences. But concerns over abuse are hardly new.
In 2012, the Association of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities issued what became known as the Keffi Declaration. It advised against awarding honorary degrees to sitting public officials and discouraged recipients from using the “Dr.” title. The declaration also urged universities to maintain high standards in selecting honorees and to limit the number of degrees conferred per event. Some institutions had awarded as many as 20 in a single ceremony. Yet the declaration had no legal authority, and more than a decade later, its recommendations remain largely ignored.
While a handful of institutions continue to uphold academic integrity — Afe Babalola University, for instance, has recognized distinguished figures such as former Commonwealth Secretary General Emeka Anyaoku and Supreme Court Justice Sidi Bage — many others have allowed political access, influence, and anticipated donations to determine who gets honored.
The problem is further exacerbated by the proliferation of unregulated institutions — often referred to as mushroom universities — that trade honorary degrees for cash, connections, or media attention. These degrees, sometimes awarded in absentia or through hastily organized events, frequently appear in the official profiles of individuals with no academic track record.
Across the education sector, concern is growing. At Adekunle Ajasin University, Professor Victor Olumekun has spoken out against the trend, warning that honorary degrees are now viewed as status symbols rather than academic honors. He argues that recipients should not be addressed as “Dr.” outside the ceremonial setting of the awarding institution. Professor Ini Oko, former Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, adds that many of these degrees — particularly those from foreign institutions — are obtained through a “cash and carry” model. Some of the awarding institutions have been found to lack accreditation, and in extreme cases, the degrees were entirely fraudulent.
Professor Gbolahan Bolarin, Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities at the Federal University of Technology, Minna, draws a clear line: a PhD is earned through rigorous academic research; an honorary doctorate is purely symbolic. Conflating the two, he warns, undermines the credibility of the nation’s educational system.
Despite these warnings, regulatory action remains weak. The National Universities Commission has issued repeated calls for quality control, but no binding legal framework currently governs the award or public use of honorary titles. In contrast, countries like Malawi, Ghana, and now Ethiopia have adopted enforceable policies aimed at restoring trust in academic recognition.
Nigeria’s honorary degree culture is further threatened by the activities of fake universities and diploma mills. Earlier this year, the federal government banned 18 foreign institutions operating illegally in the country. An interministerial panel is also investigating 107 private universities established within the last 15 years, amid allegations of certificate fraud, low academic standards, and unauthorized honorary degrees.
In a symbolic yet significant gesture, President Bola Tinubu, through the Executive Secretary of the NUC, recently called for an end to the indiscriminate conferment of honorary doctorates. Addressing a university convocation, he urged restraint and emphasized the need to protect Nigeria’s academic reputation. But unless such pronouncements are backed by law and enforced with consequence, little is likely to change.
This is not a trivial matter. In a society where perception often defines power, the “Dr.” title carries significant weight. Politicians brandish it, preachers embrace it, and celebrities wear it as a badge of influence. But when such titles are not earned through scholarship, they mislead the public and devalue genuine academic achievement.
Ethiopia’s approach may be viewed as bold, even controversial. But it reflects a growing recognition that academic prestige must be preserved. Nigeria already has a framework in the Keffi Declaration. What it now requires is the political resolve and institutional courage to transform that blueprint into binding law.
If Nigeria is truly serious about restoring credibility to its education system, it must reform how honorary degrees are awarded and used. The “Dr.” title should not merely confer status. It must stand as a marker of earned excellence — one that reflects the university’s core mission to reward merit, uphold standards, and inspire a culture of learning.
