Despite awarding honorary degrees to various Zimbabweans, including Dilesh Nguwaya, Midlands businesswoman Smelly Dube, Mudiwa Hood and Fatima Maruta, who operates a specific sector, IIP has been found to be in violation of Zimbabwean laws. The Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE) has stated that the International Institute of Philanthropy (IIP) is unauthorized to grant degrees in Zimbabwe as it is not a registered higher education institution. ZIMCHE oversees the accreditation and registration of all higher education institutions and programs in Zimbabwe to ensure they meet national standards for quality education.

According to ZIMCHE unregistered and unaccredited institutions are prohibited  from granting degrees. In a statement, ZIMCHE emphasizes that IIP’s degree conferral not only breaches Zimbabwean laws but also compromises the credibility of the higher education system in the country.

ZIMCHE is committed to upholding the integrity of Zimbabwe’s higher education system and will not tolerate any activities that undermine it. As a result, degrees awarded by the International Institute of Philanthropy are not recognized in Zimbabwe, and the public is warned against using titles conferred by unregistered entities such as IIP. ZIMCHE has instructed IIP to publicly retract all issued degrees and notify recipients accordingly.