The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) will begin screening more than 500 exceptional candidates below the age of 16 for admission into tertiary institutions between September 22 and 26, 2025.
The decision followed resolutions from a virtual meeting on Wednesday attended by heads of tertiary institutions, government agencies, civil society representatives, and education experts.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, said the exercise will be conducted at three venues — Lagos, Abuja, and Owerri — hosting 397, 66, and 136 candidates respectively.
He explained that out of 41,027 underage candidates who sat for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), over 40,000 failed to meet the initial criteria. “People have been doing it in other parts of the world. We are not reinventing the wheel,” Oloyede noted.
A subcommittee led by Prof Taoheed Adedoja reported that the screening will involve subject-specific tests and a short oral interview. The West African Examination Council (WAEC) will be contacted to verify some candidates’ results before the exercise.
The policy targets only those who scored at least 320 in UTME, achieved 80% in post-UTME, and secured 24 out of 30 points in WAEC or NECO in one sitting.
While the initiative aims to balance academic excellence with cognitive maturity, four universities — the Air Force Institute of Technology, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, University of Jos, and Osun State University — have ruled out admitting underage candidates entirely.
JAMB says the measure will help prevent age falsification, shield young students from undue parental pressure, and ensure they are mentally and psychologically ready for higher education.
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