The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that candidates under the age of 16 can be considered for admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions if they demonstrate exceptional academic ability by scoring at least 320 out of 400 (80%) in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
This decision followed the reversal of the mandatory 18-year admission age policy introduced by former Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman.
The current Minister of Education, Olatunji Alausa reinstated the 16-year minimum age benchmark, a move widely welcomed by education stakeholders.
Speaking during a recent meeting with key stakeholders—including Chief External Examiners, Chief Technical Advisors, and members of the Equal Opportunity Group—JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, clarified that while 16 remained the standard age for admission, there must be room for exceptionally gifted students under 16 to gain access under strict conditions.
Oloyede stated, “This is about complying with the law. Age plays a crucial role in maturity and academic development. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have age limits for leadership positions such as local government chairman. Biological age is linked to intellectual growth, and while rules exist, there must be room for exceptions.
“The Minister of Education has clearly stated that the minimum age for admission remains 16. However, we acknowledge that some gifted children exist. These individuals should not be overlooked. We must identify them and allow them to sit for the exams.”
The JAMB boss stressed that underage candidates must prove their exceptional ability not only in UTME but also in other assessments such as the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), Post-UTME, and General Certificate Examination (GCE O’Level).
“If a candidate under 16 scores 200 out of 400 in the UTME, can they truly be considered exceptional? However, if they achieve 80% (320/400), that signals exceptional ability and warrants consideration,” he added.
Oloyede, however, criticised the role of private universities in admitting underage candidates, noting that many of these students struggle academically, with up to 80% eventually transferring to other programmes due to poor performance.
He also condemned the growing trend of parents falsifying birth records to secure early admission for their children, only to later attempt age correction for eligibility in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme.
To assess the readiness of underage candidates, JAMB has introduced a mock UTME for students below the standard admission age.
According to Oloyede, this mock exam is not for university admission but to help younger students gauge their academic ability.
“We are starting the sale of forms on January 31st till March 5th. There will be a mock exam on February 23rd and on March 8th, there will be the UTME,” he said.
