The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has inaugurated a 23-member expert panel to evaluate 599 underage candidates who scored 320 and above in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). This move is part of efforts to regulate admissions of candidates below the official minimum age of 16 into Nigerian universities.
The Board has also introduced strict screening procedures for high-performing UTME candidates under the age of 16, specifically for the 2025/2026 admission cycle. JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, officially launched the National Committee on Underage Admission—chaired by himself—during a virtual meeting with vice chancellors and heads of admission units held in Abuja on Wednesday.
Prof. Oloyede emphasized that the practice of admitting psychologically and emotionally unprepared children into universities would no longer be tolerated. He described it as a form of “academic abuse.”
During the 2025 policy meeting on tertiary education admissions, stakeholders endorsed the Federal Government’s directive setting the minimum admission age at 16 years. However, a special waiver was approved for gifted students who demonstrate outstanding academic performance despite being underage.
Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, reaffirmed the policy during the meeting and directed JAMB to develop clear guidelines for assessing such exceptional candidates. According to the minister, this move aims to strike a balance between academic brilliance and emotional readiness, while also curbing the growing number of underage students in universities.
“We recognise that a few students may be gifted, but such cases must be thoroughly assessed and justified with verifiable academic and psychological evidence,” Dr. Alausa said.
JAMB reiterated that while under-16 candidates may still be considered, they must meet specific academic benchmarks:
- A minimum UTME score of 320 (80%)
- A post-UTME score of at least 80%
- A minimum of 80% in a single sitting of either WAEC or NECO (equivalent to 24 out of 30 points)
Additionally, JAMB will no longer accept combined results from different examination bodies (e.g., WAEC and NECO) for this category of candidates. Science students must have Mathematics among their top grades, while Arts students must have English.
All underage candidates will undergo a dedicated post-UTME assessment, even if their chosen institution no longer conducts one for the general population. JAMB will gather and review their academic records before forwarding the names of eligible candidates for the next round of screening.
Three designated centres—Abuja, Lagos, and Owerri—have been approved for the physical screening exercise. Furthermore, JAMB has introduced a fourth assessment layer focusing on affective and psychomotor evaluations, aspects previously overlooked in university admissions. A subcommittee of educational specialists has also been tasked with designing the screening template to measure emotional and psychological readiness.
The subcommittee is chaired by Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, a former Minister of Sports and an authority in special education. It has one week to develop the framework for screening, while the candidate assessments will commence shortly afterward in the three approved centres.
Speaking at the meeting, Prof. Oloyede explained that of over 38,000 underage candidates who sat for the UTME, only 599 met the minimum score of 320, qualifying them for possible waiver consideration. He, however, noted that admission is not guaranteed.
“These candidates will go through a rigorous multi-stage screening, and only those who excel will be considered. This is about academic maturity, emotional readiness, and the long-term success of our students—not just scores,” he said.
Oloyede also stated that candidates who fail to meet the final selection criteria—such as scoring less than 80% in the post-UTME—will automatically be disqualified. Their school preferences will also be reviewed, and they must score 80% in that aspect as well.
He revealed that JAMB has removed all underage candidates from its Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), warning institutions not to admit them without official clearance. Failure to comply will attract sanctions.
At least four institutions—the Air Force Institute of Technology, Kaduna; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi; University of Jos; and Osun State University—have already formally declared their refusal to admit underage candidates under any circumstances.
Oloyede advised affected candidates to consider other institutions that are open to admitting exceptional applicants cleared by JAMB.
He attributed the prevalence of underage applicants to a mix of poor policy enforcement and societal pressures, citing factors such as early primary school enrollment, skipping of Primary Six in some states, proliferation of ‘miracle’ tutorial centres, and parental pressure.
“Some parents push their children too hard, not necessarily for the child’s benefit, but to boost their own image. It’s a toxic trend that must be addressed,” he said.
He called for full cooperation from universities and stakeholders to implement the policy effectively, stressing that the ultimate goal is to safeguard students and uphold academic standards.
“This is not just about JAMB. It’s about preserving the future of our children and maintaining the integrity of Nigeria’s education system,” Oloyede added.
