Fr. Dr. Okhueleigbe Osemhantie Ãmos/April 13, 2026
It is, at first hearing, commendable that the National Universities Commission has taken steps to discourage the use of honorary doctorate titles as though they were earned academic or professional doctorates. This directive, repeated in recent policy statements and circulars, seeks to correct a long standing abuse within Nigeria’s academic and social space. In its intent, it is sound. In its timing, it is late. For years, the careless use of honorary doctorates has blurred the line between merit and patronage, between scholarship and display.
Yet, while this step is necessary, it is not enough. Honorary doctorates are not the only honorary distinctions awarded by Nigerian universities. There are also diplomas, fellowships, and other ceremonial recognitions. Many of these are also misused and misrepresented. To focus on the doctorate alone is to treat only part of the problem.
The more pressing question is this. Who are the usual recipients of these honorary degrees in Nigeria? A direct answer reveals an uneasy truth. In many cases, the honours go to political figures, business elites, and social influencers whose main qualification is not intellectual contribution but wealth or status. This practice has reduced what should be the highest academic honour to a mere exchange of influence.
The effect is most visible during convocation ceremonies. These events are meant to celebrate years of hard work, discipline, and research. Doctoral candidates labour for years, submit to strict academic scrutiny, and earn their place through effort. Yet, on the same day, they sit as spectators and applaud individuals who have not passed through any academic process but receive the same title and regalia. The message is clear and troubling. It weakens the value of earned degrees and drains the ceremony of its meaning. It creates the impression that academic honours can be bought, not earned.
Many recipients go further to use the title “Dr.” in public life, even when they have been advised not to do so. This shows a deeper problem. It assumes that those who benefit from such honours will willingly restrain themselves. Experience does not support this. A system that is open to abuse cannot be corrected by mere warnings. Telling people not to use the title, without addressing the root cause, is unlikely to produce real change.
If the problem lies in the structure, then the solution must also be structural.
A look at practices in places such as the United Kingdom and the United States offers useful guidance. Honorary doctorates are still awarded there, but within clear limits. Recipients do not use the title “Dr.” in formal or professional settings. The honour remains symbolic. The selection process is careful and based on clear contributions to society or knowledge. Above all, such awards are rare. Universities protect their reputation and do not give out honours freely.
In some cases, institutions choose other forms of recognition such as medals, fellowships, or special awards that do not carry academic titles. This helps to avoid confusion and protects the meaning of earned degrees.
Nigeria can learn from these examples. The solution is not only to regulate how honorary doctorates are used but to reconsider whether they should be awarded in their present form. Universities should be guided, through policy and accreditation, to discontinue the practice as it currently exists. In place of honorary doctorates, institutions can create distinct honours that recognise service, leadership, or philanthropy without borrowing academic titles.
Such a step will achieve two important goals. It will protect the value of the doctoral degree and allow those who have earned it to use it with clarity and pride. At the same time, it will still provide a way to honour individuals who have contributed to society in other fields.
The integrity of the university must be protected. It is the foundation of learning and research. Once it is weakened, it becomes difficult to separate true scholarship from mere recognition.
Honorary doctorates may have begun as a noble idea, but their present use has raised serious concerns. What must be preserved is simple and clear. Academic titles should be earned through study and research, not given as marks of favour.
Fr. Okhueleigbe Osemhantie Amos is a Catholic priest and Lecturer at the Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA), Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
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