In a decisive move to protect the integrity of Nigerian higher education, the Coalition of Academics and Professors for Qualified Use of Academic Titles (CAPQAT), led by Prof. Adeyemi Johnson Ademowo, has filed a petition urging government intervention against the widespread illegal use and commercialisation of academic titles such as “Dr.” and “Professor.”
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The petition, addressed to the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), the Minister of Education, chairpersons of the House and Senate Committees on Education, the National Security Adviser, and the Inspector General of Police, highlights how the abuse of academic distinctions is eroding public trust in Nigerian universities and professional institutions.
According to CAPQAT, unqualified individuals are increasingly adopting honorary, illegitimate, or commercially obtained titles. The coalition cited recipients of honorary doctorates, graduates of unaccredited Bible colleges, and holders of dubious doctoral degrees from questionable foreign and professional institutions as examples.
“Across Africa and other serious academic jurisdictions, the misuse of academic titles has been decisively outlawed or strictly regulated,” the petition states. “Yet in Nigeria, this menace continues unchecked, abetted by diploma mills, unrecognised professional institutions, and foreign universities offering illegitimate doctorates.”
The petition also details specific cases, including an unaccredited institution in the Benin Republic marketing honorary doctorates with claims to legally use the “Dr.” title. Similarly, a real estate agent in Abuja reportedly obtained a professorship from an American university, presenting himself publicly as a “Professor of Entrepreneurship,” a claim deemed misleading and fraudulent. Other similar cases were linked to the so-called American University of Business and Social Sciences (AUBSS) and other unrecognised entities.
CAPQAT emphasises that Nigeria already has legal provisions criminalising such acts, including:
- The Criminal Code Act (Cap. C38, Section 463) – up to 14 years imprisonment or ₦500,000 fine for falsifying or misrepresenting academic credentials.
- The National Universities Commission Act (1974) – fines up to ₦1 million for misrepresentation of qualifications.
- The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria Act (1993) – imprisonment up to two years or fines of ₦200,000 for unauthorised use of academic titles.
“The problem is not the absence of laws but the glaring absence of enforcement,” Prof. Ademowo stated, calling for immediate action. The coalition’s recommendations include prosecuting offenders, blacklisting dubious institutions, clarifying that honorary or unaccredited degrees do not confer the right to use “Dr.” or “Professor,” and launching a nationwide public awareness campaign.
CAPQAT also urged the establishment of a joint task force involving the NUC, Ministry of Education, Department of State Services, and the Nigeria Police Force to monitor and prosecute academic title fraud.
The petition concludes with a stark warning: “Every unqualified ‘Dr.’ or fake ‘Professor’ diminishes the sweat, rigor, and intellectual labour of those who have genuinely earned these distinctions.”
Prof. Ademowo confirmed the contents of the petition to Vanguard but noted that it had not yet been delivered to the recipients at the time of the interview.
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