The Federal Government on Wednesday banned recipients of honorary degrees from prefixing “Dr” to their names in official, academic, or professional usage.

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

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed this at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, while briefing State House correspondents on two Federal Executive Council approvals.

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.

He explained that the policy aims to curb the abuse and politicisation of honorary degrees and restore public confidence in academic titles.

“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,” he said.

Under the new directive, recipients of honorary degrees must no longer use “Dr” before their names. Instead, they are required to include the full honorary designation after their names.

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

He stressed that this format clearly distinguishes honorary awards from earned academic qualifications.

“Recipients shall not prefix doctor to their names in official, academic or professional usage.

“Misrepresentation of honorary degrees as earned academic credentials shall be considered academic fraud and subject to legal and reputational consequences,” he added.

The policy also limits honorary degrees Nigerian universities can award to four categories: Doctor of Laws (LL.D), Doctor of Letters (D.Lit), Doctor of Science (D.Sc), and Doctor of Humanities (D.Arts).

It further prohibits universities without active PhD programmes from awarding honorary degrees.

Alausa said this measure is necessary to address the growing trend of newer institutions conferring honorary titles despite lacking postgraduate research capacity.

He added that all honorary degrees must clearly carry the words “honorary” or “Honoris Causa” on certificates and in official references.

The minister noted that concerns over the commercialisation and misuse of honorary degrees have persisted for years, with institutions often accused of awarding them based on political or financial considerations rather than merit.

He recalled that efforts to regulate the practice, including the Keffi Declaration of 2012 by the Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, failed due to lack of legal backing.

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

Alausa added that the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Universities Commission will issue guidelines to universities and monitor compliance.

He said convocation ceremonies will be closely observed, while an annual list of legitimate honorary degree recipients will be published to safeguard the integrity of academic qualifications.

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The Federal Government has unveiled a new credit initiative tagged “Fly Now, Pay Later” to make domestic air travel more accessible for Nigerians.

The scheme was announced by the (CREDICORP), which said the initiative allows eligible individuals to book flights within Nigeria and pay in installments over time.

How the scheme works

According to CREDICORP, the program is designed to remove the burden of upfront ticket payments, enabling more Nigerians to travel when needed without financial strain.

The initiative is being implemented in partnership with and as part of efforts to expand access to consumer credit.

Interested applicants are required to visit the Visaro platform, select their preferred destination within Nigeria, and choose a repayment plan based on structured financing options.

Addressing rising air travel costs

The move comes amid growing concerns over the high cost of domestic flights, which has made air travel increasingly unaffordable for many Nigerians.

Airfares surged significantly during the 2025 festive season, with some one-way tickets rising by over 150 percent to more than N300,000. Airlines have blamed the hike on rising aviation fuel costs, foreign exchange challenges, and operational expenses.

Boosting financial inclusion

CREDICORP noted that the “Fly Now, Pay Later” initiative aligns with its broader goal of promoting financial inclusion and improving access to essential services through innovative credit solutions.

The agency added that the scheme will help Nigerians meet urgent travel needs while spreading payment over time, easing financial pressure.

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In a statement, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, said the ministry held a high-level meeting in March 2025. The meeting aimed to address fears from key industry groups. These include the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), and the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA).

These groups had raised concerns as early as December 2024. Their main worry was the reclassification of large private companies as PIEs. Under the new law, these companies must pay annual dues ranging from 0.02% to 0.05% of turnover. There is no upper limit. Meanwhile, publicly listed firms pay a fixed ₦25 million, no matter their size.

In March 2025, the ministry held a public consultation to discuss these issues. As a result, two key actions were taken. First, an administrative pause was placed on the new dues. Second, a Technical Working Group was set up to study the impact.

This group included NECA, MAN, ALTON, NACCIMA, PEBEC, CAC, SEC, and the Financial Reporting Council (FRC). They met six times in three weeks. They presented their report to the minister on April 17, 2025.

Dr. Oduwole then briefed President Bola Tinubu. She shared private sector concerns and recommended keeping the pause. The government agreed to maintain this pause for now.

To give immediate relief, the minister directed FRC to cap annual dues for private PIEs at ₦25 million. This matches the cap for listed companies.

This move creates a fair and stable environment for companies. It shows the government’s focus on transparency, fairness, and investor confidence.

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