2026

Although a PhD is now a standard requirement for attaining the rank of professor in Nigerian universities, history records a few exceptional cases where individuals earned professorships based on their outstanding contributions to their fields rather than doctoral qualifications. Among the most notable are Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, literary icon Chinua Achebe, renowned poet J.P. Clark, and celebrated artist Bruce Onobrakpeya. Wole Soyinka Nobel Prize-winning playwright and author Wole Soyinka does not hold a PhD. He began his university education at the then University College Ibadan before completing a Bachelor of Arts in English at the University of Leeds in 1958. Despite not pursuing a doctoral degree, Soyinka built an internationally acclaimed career as a playwright, poet, novelist, essayist, and public intellectual. His achievements earned him numerous honorary doctorates from universities around the world. In 1986, he became the first African to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature for his contributions to world literature. Chinua Achebe Renowned novelist Chinua Achebe also became a professor without obtaining a PhD. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the then University College Ibadan and went on to establish himself as one of Africa’s most influential literary figures. Achebe’s academic recognition was based on his remarkable literary contributions rather than a doctoral qualification. Throughout his career, he received more than 30 honorary doctorates from institutions across the world, including Harvard University, Brown University, the University of Cape Town, the University of Toronto, and Dartmouth College. J.P. Clark Poet and playwright John Pepper Clark, popularly known as J.P. Clark or J.P. Clark-Bekederemo, was another Nigerian scholar who attained the rank of professor without a PhD. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English from the then University College Ibadan and later taught literature at the University of Lagos, where he rose through the academic ranks based on his scholarship and literary achievements. Clark is widely known for works such as Song of a Goat, The Raft, Ozidi, and the poetry collection Casualties: Poems 1966–68. Bruce Onobrakpeya Celebrated Nigerian artist Bruce Onobrakpeya also achieved academic distinction without earning a PhD. He studied at the Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology, Zaria, now part of Ahmadu Bello University where he obtained a diploma in Fine Arts and a teacher’s qualification. Although he later undertook postgraduate studies and specialized art training, he did not complete a doctoral degree. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to art and culture, Onobrakpeya has received several honorary doctorates, including an Honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Ibadan and an Honorary Doctor of Arts from Delta State University.

The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) has reduced the fees for textbook assessment and ranking as part of preparations for the Federal Government’s National Textbook Ranking System. The Council also directed that publishers who paid the previous, higher assessment fees be refunded, saying the move is intended to reduce the financial burden on stakeholders in the education sector. The decision was announced in a statement signed by NERDC’s Executive Secretary, Professor Salisu Shehu. According to the statement, the assessment fee has been reduced from N2,000 to N1,500 per page, while the ranking fee has been cut from N1 million to N750,000 for each textbook title. Professor Shehu said the revised fees take immediate effect and are aimed at encouraging greater participation by publishers and authors in the new textbook evaluation process. He added that publishers who had already paid the former assessment fee would receive refunds of the excess amount, with details of the refund process to be announced later. NERDC urged publishers and authors submitting textbooks for assessment to comply with the new fee structure with immediate effect. The fee reduction comes ahead of the rollout of the Federal Government’s National Textbook Ranking System, a key education reform introduced by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, to improve the quality of learning materials used in Nigerian schools. Under the policy, which is scheduled to take effect in September 2026, only textbooks that have been assessed, approved and ranked by NERDC will be recommended for use in classrooms, while unranked books will no longer be approved for schools. The minister said the initiative is designed to eliminate substandard textbooks and ensure that learners and teachers have access to quality, curriculum-compliant instructional materials. He explained that although NERDC will continue to approve textbooks in line with its statutory mandate, every approved title will also undergo a national evaluation and ranking by expert committees before it can be recommended for classroom use. The National Textbook Ranking System forms part of the Federal Ministry of Education’s broader reforms aimed at improving the quality of basic and secondary education, alongside initiatives to strengthen learning outcomes, expand digital education infrastructure and tackle learning poverty across the country.