The National Universities Commission (NUC) has warned Nigerian universities against the misuse and indiscriminate award of honorary doctorate degrees. The commission said it will sanction institutions and individuals who fail to follow the new rules.

In a statement, the NUC released 16 guidelines to regulate how honorary degrees are awarded and used. It stressed that only approved universities that have graduated PhD students can confer such honours, and not more than three awards should be given per convocation.

The commission made it clear that honorary doctorates are ceremonial and not equal to earned academic degrees. Recipients are allowed to use “Honoris Causa” after their names but cannot use the title “Dr.” unless they hold a real academic or medical qualification.

The NUC added that universities must ensure transparency, avoid conflicts of interest, and create a system to withdraw awards if recipients are later found guilty of fraud or misconduct. The move aims to protect the credibility of Nigeria’s university system.