NUC Uncovers 32 Fake Degree Varsities, Seeks Stronger Law

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has identified 32 institutions participating in the unauthorized and unethical conferral of honorary doctorate degrees, pledging strict penalties to uphold the integrity of Nigeria’s higher education system.

Among the 32 offenders are 10 international universities, four unlicensed domestic universities, 15 professional associations lacking degree-awarding authority, and three additional organizations not permitted to grant academic titles.

Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, the Executive Secretary of the Commission, made this announcement during a press conference in Abuja yesterday, expressing concern over the increasing misuse of honorary degrees by both the awarding bodies and the recipients.

Ribadu’s statements came in the wake of a report presented by a committee formed by the Commission to examine the awards and public exploitation of honorary doctorate degrees by recipients.

The NUC leader reaffirmed the prohibition against granting honorary doctorate degrees to public office holders, emphasizing that no public official should qualify for such honors while still in office.

He pointed out that the infractions span across federal, state, and private universities, with many institutions violating the Keffi Declaration of 2022, an agreement among Vice Chancellors that establishes guidelines for honorary degree awards.

A central aspect of the declaration forbids awarding honorary doctorates to currently serving public officials and disallows self-nominations.

Ribadu highlighted former President Goodluck Jonathan’s recent honorary degree from Nile University as an example of adherence to the rules, clarifying that recipients should be individuals who have long departed from public service.

He stated that the NUC intends to approach the National Assembly to advocate for legislation that criminalizes the inappropriate awarding and misuse of honorary doctorates.

Ribadu praised the committee, led by Prof. Kabiru Bala, for delivering a thorough report on the alarming proliferation of honorary degree mills across Nigeria.

He lamented the rising trend of individuals buying honorary doctorates for financial sponsorship and subsequently presenting themselves as academic or medical doctors.

He emphasized that holders of honorary doctorates may not use the title “Dr.”, except in written form accompanied by the suffix honoris causa.

Ribadu also cautioned that numerous unaccredited institutions, both foreign and domestic, have become infamous for awarding fraudulent doctorates and even sham professorships.

He remarked that the misuse of the title “Doctor” without appropriate qualifications amounts to false representation and is punishable under the fraud laws of Nigeria.

While reaffirming the Commission’s regulatory power under the Education, National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institutions Act, Ribadu stated that only officially recognized universities, whether public or private, are authorized to confer honorary doctorates in Nigeria.

He further noted that recipients of honorary awards are barred from using such degrees to teach, supervise research, or hold academic roles.

Ribadu mentioned that the NUC has created national guidelines for the award and utilization of honorary doctorates, which will be published soon.

He declared that the Commission, in collaboration with law enforcement, will initiate a nationwide crackdown on illegal honorary degree mills.

He urged media, governmental bodies, and the public to assist in efforts to restore prestige to honorary degrees and protect the credibility of Nigeria’s university system.

Earlier, while presenting the report, Prof. Kabiru Bala, the Chairman of the NUC investigative committee on honorary doctorate awards, expressed new concerns regarding the escalating misuse of honorary degrees in Nigeria and called for prompt regulatory measures.

He disclosed that the committee utilized case-study analysis, reviewed a wide range of public documents, and received submissions from 27 Nigerian universities, in addition to comparative guidelines from countries like the US, UK, Canada, and Australia.

The findings indicated that despite the Keffi Declaration—a policy framework endorsed by vice chancellors—compliance among universities is erratic, with some institutions engaging in indiscriminate awards and lacking proper oversight.

Bala stated that the indiscriminate granting of honorary awards undermines the integrity of Nigeria’s academic system and significantly deviates from internationally accepted practices, which are guided by clear cultural and regulatory boundaries for such recognitions.

The committee advised that the NUC should establish consistent criteria for granting honorary doctorates, oversee their public application, and work alongside relevant agencies to combat the rise of “degree mills.”

He stressed that universities need to maintain transparency and bestow honorary degrees only upon individuals who truly merit them to restore dignity and maintain academic integrity.