The National Universities Commission (NUC) has sanctioned two Nigerian universities for violating its guidelines on the award of honorary doctorate degrees, warning institutions and individuals against the misuse of academic titles.
The Executive Secretary of the commission, Professor Abdullahi Ribadu, disclosed the development on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, during the opening of the 2026 NUC retreat with vice-chancellors in Abuja.
According to reports by TheCable and The Guardian, Ribadu said the commission had already taken action against two institutions found to have breached its guidelines. However, he did not disclose the names of the universities or specify the sanctions imposed.
The enforcement action comes about eight months after the NUC introduced new rules to address what it described as the growing incidence of indiscriminate conferment and misuse of honorary doctorate degrees within Nigeria’s university system.
In February 2026, the commission published a 16-point guideline governing the award and use of honorary doctorate degrees in Nigeria.
The rules are intended to regulate the conferment process, protect academic integrity and preserve the credibility of Nigerian universities. The NUC also directed universities and other degree-awarding institutions to comply with the approved provisions.
The commission made it clear that honorary doctorate degrees, whether awarded by Nigerian or foreign institutions, are distinctions rather than qualifications earned through academic research and study.
As a result, recipients should not present honorary awards as equivalent to earned doctoral qualifications.
The guidelines also provide for regulatory sanctions against institutions that violate the rules and individuals who misuse honorary academic titles.
Honorary degrees are traditionally awarded to recognise exceptional contributions to society, public service, scholarship, business, culture or other fields. However, concerns about how such awards are conferred have raised questions about academic standards and the credibility of institutions that issue them.
The NUC’s latest action signals that the commission intends to move beyond warnings and enforce its regulatory framework.
For universities, compliance with the guidelines is important to maintaining public confidence in their academic awards and protecting the value of legitimate qualifications.
The development also serves as a reminder to recipients of honorary degrees to represent their awards accurately in public engagements, professional profiles and official documents.
Ribadu made the announcement during a two-day retreat focused on regulatory compliance, governance, leadership and partnerships across Nigeria’s university system.
He also highlighted initiatives aimed at improving the commission’s operations, including the e-NUC platform, accreditation software and the development of a national artificial intelligence roadmap and policy framework.
The commission urged university leaders to strengthen institutional governance, improve research output and translate academic findings into practical innovations that can support national development.
Although the NUC has not publicly identified the two sanctioned universities, its announcement places renewed attention on compliance with the rules governing honorary degrees and the responsible use of academic titles in Nigeria.
Further details about the affected institutions and the specific penalties imposed were not disclosed in the reports available as of October 15, 2026.