Nigeria’s Federal Government has officially banned honorary degree recipients from using the “Dr” prefix before their names, declaring that such usage now constitutes academic fraud.

It declared that the use of the title by such recipients constitutes a misrepresentation of academic credentials, which will henceforth be treated as academic fraud, with attendant legal and reputational consequences.

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, announced this directive on Wednesday, stating that the decision was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to restore integrity to Nigeria’s academic system and curb the “indiscriminate conferment” of titles for political or financial gain.

Alausa, who appeared alongside the Minister of State for Education, Prof Suwaiba Ahmad, said the FEC approved a uniform policy for the award and use of honorary degrees by Nigerian universities.

The policy, he explained, is designed to end what he described as decades of indiscriminate conferral of degrees for political patronage and financial gain, and to restore public confidence in the integrity of academic titles.

He said, “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.

Giving examples, Alausa explained, “For instance, you can use Chief Louis Clark, D.Lit. (Doctor of Literature, Honoris Causa)” or “Mrs Miriam Adamu, LL.D. Hons.”

Alausa said 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,” the minister said, adding, “Misrepresentation of honorary degrees as earned academic credentials shall be considered academic fraud and subject to legal and reputational consequences.”

The policy also restricts 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).

It further bars universities without active PhD-awarding programmes from conferring honorary degrees at all.

Alausa said the restriction was aimed at addressing the proliferation of newer institutions that have been awarding honorary doctorates despite being less than five years old and lacking postgraduate research programmes.

The minister noted that all honorary degrees must carry the words “honorary” or “Honoris Causa” on the award certificate and in all references.

For over a decade, concerns over the commercialisation and politicisation of honorary degrees have been raised in Nigeria’s academic community, with universities often accused of awarding the degrees to wealthy donors and public officials in exchange for financial patronage rather than merit.

In 2012, the Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities attempted to address the challenge in what became known as the Keffi Declaration.

The declaration outlined guiding principles for the award of honorary degrees. However, it had no legal or executive backing and was therefore largely ignored, Alausa said on Wednesday.

He explained, “The association doesn’t have any legal backing to enforce anything.

“That is why we brought this to the Federal Executive Council, which now gives it legal and executive backing.”

The minister said the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Universities Commission (NUC) will issue a circular to all vice-chancellors, registrars, and governing councils in this regard.

He also noted that convocation programmes will be monitored for compliance with the policy, and the government will collaborate with the media to discourage improper attribution of academic titles to honorary recipients.

The ministry will also publish annually a list of legitimate honorary degree recipients to protect the integrity of earned academic qualifications, Alausa said.

He noted that the NUC has the statutory power to enforce the policy.

In the ongoing trial over an alleged plot to overthrow the administration of President Bola Tinubu, Islamic cleric Sheikh Bukar Kashim Goni claimed that over ₦10 million he received from a military officer was strictly for prayers and religious activities.

The video recording of Goni’s extra-judicial statement was played at the federal high court in Abuja on Tuesday.

The federal government is prosecuting Goni, Muhammed Ibrahim Gana, a retired major general; Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, a retired navy captain; Ahmed Ibrahim, a serving police inspector; Zekeri Umoru; and Abdulkadir Sani on a 13-count charge bordering on alleged treason and terrorism.

Ma’aji was mentioned in the charge sheet as a colonel but he was not charged as a defendant.

The defendants were accused of plotting to overthrow the Bola Tinubu administration.

They have pleaded not guilty.

According to NAN, the Islamic cleric, in a video recording played in court, said he relocated to Karu in Abuja after fleeing insurgency in Maiduguri in Borno.

The cleric said the funds from one Ma’aji was strictly for prayers and charitable purposes, including requests for spiritual intervention following an alleged promotion setback.

The investigators queried the cleric on why the funds were transferred to him as early as March 2023, months before the alleged promotion issues he referenced.

The investigators told the cleric that his financial records show transactions running into millions of naira, including a N10 million transfer in October 2024.

ANOTHER VIDEO RECORDING

Another video recording of Umoru’s extra-judicial statement was played in court.

Umoru served in the maintenance department of the presidential villa in Abuja as an employee of Julius Berger Nigeria.

Umoru told investigators how he was contacted by an individual later identified as key figures in the case, through the 3rd defendant, Ahmed Ibrahim, a police inspector attached to the Presidential Clinic in Abuja.

The defendant said Ibrahim introduced him to a man called Hassan Mohammed, who he later identified as “Col. Mohammed Ma’aji”, on the pretext of offering him electrical work at a building under construction.

The defendant said he initially thought Ma’aji was a civilian businessman.

He said he received money transfers from Ma’aji multiple times even in the presence of Ibrahim.

He added that he met with Ma’aji and another associate, Usman, who he discovered was a military officer, on numerous occasions.

The defendant told investigators that on September 24, 2025, Ma’aji allegedly handed Umoru a ‘Ghana-Must-Go’ bag containing cash.

The Julius Berger employee said he deposited the money at a branch of Zenith Bank, where it was counted as N8.8 million.

He told investigators that when he became uncomfortable with the continuous flow of money from Ma’aji, he asked Ibrahim for clarification.

The defendant said Ibrahim told him that Ma’aji was dissatisfied with the state of the country and was planning to “sanitise the government”, allegedly with the support of unnamed associates described as “boys”.

He further alleged that Ibrahim suggested a plan involving an ambulance driver to facilitate access into the presidential villa, with expectations of financial gain.

In the video, the defendant said he was unaware of any concrete plan to overthrow the government and insisted that his participation was unintentional.

Joyce Abdulmalik, the trial judge, adjourned further hearing to May 11, May 12 and May 13.

Following renewed xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa, Senator Adams Oshiomhole has called on the Federal Government to revoke the operating licenses of South African-owned companies in Nigeria, specifically MTN and DStv (MultiChoice).

Speaking during a Senate plenary Oshiomhole argued for a policy of reciprocity in international relations, stating, “If you hit me, I hit you”.

“I don’t want this Senate to be shedding tears to sympathise with those who have died. We didn’t come here to share tears,” he said. “If you hit me, I’ll hit you. I think it is appropriate in diplomacy. It’s an economic struggle.”

The former Edo State governor proposed that Nigeria should nationalise MTN and withdraw its operating licence, arguing that the company repatriates substantial revenue while Nigerians face hostility in South Africa.

“This Senate should adopt a position that MTN, a South African company that is taking away millions of dollars from Nigeria every day, should have Nigeria nationalise it and withdraw its licence,” he stated.

Oshiomhole also extended the call to MultiChoice, urging the Federal Government to revoke DStv’s licence over what he described as exploitative practices.

“I call on the Federal Government to revoke DStv, which is also a South African company that is taking away millions of dollars,” he added.

According to him, such measures would serve as a deterrent and create opportunities for indigenous businesses, amid what he described as sustained economic and social targeting of Nigerians in South Africa.

The senator linked recurring xenophobic tensions to domestic political dynamics in South Africa, noting that anti-immigrant rhetoric has increasingly shaped public attitudes toward foreign nationals.

“When we hit back, the president of South Africa will recognise that Nigerians cannot be intimidated,” he said.

Oshiomhole made the remarks while contributing to a motion sponsored by Osita Izunaso and presented on the floor by Aniekan Bassey under matters of urgent public importance.

Titled “A call for urgent national diplomatic and humanitarian action to defend the dignity, safety and honour of Nigerian citizens,” the motion highlighted growing concerns over the safety of Nigerians in South Africa.

Also speaking, Senator Victor Umeh described the situation as alarming, warning that Nigerians in South Africa are living in fear.

“It is worrisome. They are hiding for their lives. They can’t move freely. This is a situation where people are paying good with evil,” he said, referencing Nigeria’s historical support for the anti-apartheid struggle.

Umeh called on the African Union to intervene and impose sanctions, stressing that continued attacks on Nigerians could no longer be tolerated.

“The AU should rise now and impose necessary sanctions. We cannot allow this to continue,” he said.

Senator Abdul Ningi also warned that Nigeria may take stronger measures if the attacks persist.

“If a crime has been committed under South African law, they have the right to prosecute, but to kill our people as if we are helpless, we will not allow that,” he said. “We have options, and these should be communicated clearly.”

In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio condemned the attacks, describing them as unacceptable and barbaric. He disclosed that the National Assembly would send a joint delegation to engage with the South African parliament over the matter.

“This is not acceptable. This is cruel and strange behaviour, and we are not seeing sufficient action from the South African government,” Akpabio said.

The development highlights growing pressure on the Federal Government to adopt a tougher stance, as recurring xenophobic violence in South Africa continues to strain diplomatic relations and trigger calls for economic countermeasures and stronger protection for Nigerians abroad.