Mirian Gom 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has screened 176 underage candidates who excelled in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), marking a new phase in promoting academic excellence among young learners.
The screening, held simultaneously in Abuja, Lagos, and Owerri, aims to identify exceptional candidates under 16 for possible admission into tertiary institutions for the 2025/2026 academic year.
Chairman of the Abuja screening centre, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, on Wednesday said candidates first wrote a short test before undergoing a one-on-one interview. “The process was fair and thorough,” he told journalists. “We had 22 participants here, while 176 took part nationwide.”
He said the results would be released after review by JAMB Registrar Prof Ishaq Oloyede.
Chair of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions, Senator Mohammed Muntari Dandutse, commended JAMB for offering talented underage students a merit-based opportunity.
“It’s crucial to assess their readiness. This ensures only mature and focused candidates are selected,” Dandutse said, pledging legislative support for education reforms under President Bola Tinubu.
House Committee Chairman on Basic Examination Bodies, Oboku Oforji, also praised the exercise. “These students’ performance shows Nigeria’s strength in education across Africa,” he said.
At the Owerri centre, Prof Paulinus Okwelle of the NCCE confirmed the screening was orderly and transparent. Out of 41,027 underage applicants, only 176 met JAMB’s high benchmark.
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