By Huldah Shado
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has introduced stricter screening measures for candidates under the age of 16 seeking university admission for the 2025/2026 academic session.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, made the announcement during a virtual meeting with vice chancellors and heads of admissions on Wednesday in Abuja.
He emphasized that the board would no longer tolerate what he described as the “academic abuse” of admitting minors who are not emotionally and psychologically prepared for university life.
Although the minimum age for admission into Nigerian universities remains 16, Oloyede noted that underage candidates would only be considered if they display exceptional academic brilliance and maturity.
He stressed that the policy is not only about age but also about emotional readiness, academic capacity, and long-term well-being.
Under the new policy, candidates under 16 must score at least 320 out of 400 in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), attain a minimum of 80 percent in the post-UTME screening, and secure at least 80 percent in a single sitting of either WAEC or NECO, amounting to 24 out of 30 obtainable points.
Oloyede also announced that the board would no longer accept combined results from different examination bodies, such as mixing WAEC and NECO.
He added that science students must include Mathematics among their top subjects, while arts students must include English Language.
The policy was earlier presented by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, at the 2025 JAMB policy meeting.
It aims to strike a balance between cognitive maturity and academic preparedness, and to address the increasing trend of underage students gaining admission into Nigerian universities.
