Nigeria’s universities are facing a quiet but alarming erosion of academic standards, driven by political interference. The recent revelation that the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives earned two PhDs in just five months from Nigerian universities has reignited concerns over integrity, due process, and the politicization of higher education.

Questions abound: How can a serving high-ranking official complete the rigorous processes of doctoral research twice in such a short period? The implications for the credibility of Nigerian postgraduate education are profound.

From Honorary Titles to Fast-Track PhDs

Historically, honorary doctorates were symbolic awards recognizing exceptional societal contributions. Recent reforms by the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) restricted their misuse: honorary recipients may no longer attach “PhD” to their titles, and serving public officials are barred from receiving them.

But these reforms have inadvertently spawned a new trend: fast-tracked, “regular” degrees, where political influence bypasses standard academic rigor. This shift signals a troubling evolution from symbolic titles to formally awarded but academically compromised credentials.

Professorships and Political Pressure

Controversies over politically awarded professorships in past years demonstrated how academic standards can be bent under political pressure. Today, the PhD-in-five-months phenomenon represents the culmination of these systemic weaknesses. Certificates are increasingly political tools rather than marks of genuine scholarship.

The Subtle Erosion of Postgraduate Education

This is not limited to scandals with transcripts or forged certificates. The problem lies deeper in postgraduate programmes: timelines are shortened, supervisors adjust expectations, checks are weakened, and political pressure overrides independence. Research may be hurried, externally written, or ghost-produced. The result is a hollowing out of Nigeria’s intellectual capital.

Responsibility of Universities and Regulators

The Committee of Deans and Provosts of Postgraduate Schools (CDPGS) and the NUC must act decisively. Urgent questions include:

• Were admission requirements followed?
• Was coursework completed and proposals properly approved?
• Were seminars and dissertation defenses conducted as required?
• Was external examination carried out with integrity?

Universities must resist political interference, and NUC should audit suspicious programmes, impose sanctions, and protect the credibility of Nigerian doctoral degrees.

A Turning Point

If this trend persists, genuine PhDs will be devalued, postgraduate schools will lose credibility, and international recognition of Nigerian degrees will suffer. Political convenience must not replace academic integrity.

Two PhDs in five months are not miraculous—they are a warning sign of a system bending under political weight. Unless institutions confront this craze decisively, doctoral degrees may soon serve more as political ornaments than symbols of scholarship.