The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that candidates below the age of 16 may be considered for university admission if they demonstrate outstanding academic performance by scoring at least 320 out of 400 in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
This policy change comes after the reversal of the mandatory 18-year minimum admission age introduced by former Education Minister Tahir Mamman. The current Minister of Education, Olatunji Alausa, has reinstated the 16-year benchmark, a decision that has been widely welcomed by education stakeholders.
During a meeting with key stakeholders, including Chief External Examiners and Chief Technical Advisors, JAMB Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede reaffirmed that while the general admission age remains 16, exceptions can be made for academically gifted students who meet strict criteria.
“This is about following the law. Age is a critical factor in intellectual and emotional maturity, just as it is in leadership positions. However, there are always exceptional cases, and we must recognize and accommodate these gifted individuals,” Oloyede stated.
He emphasized that underage candidates must excel across multiple academic assessments, including UTME, WASSCE, Post-UTME, and GCE O/Level, to be eligible for admission. “If an under-16 candidate scores 200 in UTME, they cannot be considered exceptional. But a score of 320 or more signifies outstanding ability and merits consideration,” he added.
Oloyede also raised concerns about the trend of private universities admitting underage students, pointing out that many struggle academically and eventually switch to different programs. He further condemned the manipulation of birth records by parents seeking early admission for their children, only to later attempt age corrections for eligibility in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program.
As part of its efforts to assess the capabilities of younger candidates, JAMB has introduced a mock UTME specifically for underage students. However, Oloyede clarified that the mock exam is not for admission purposes but rather to evaluate their preparedness.
The 2025 UTME registration began on January 31 and will run until March 5, with the mock exam scheduled for February 23 and the main UTME on March 8.
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