Tertiary institutions across Nigeria have been directed to strictly enforce 16 years as the minimum age for admission, following a formal announcement by the Federal Government.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, made this known on Tuesday while declaring open the 2025 Policy Meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Abuja.
He stated that the entry age, which was initially set at 18, has now been officially pegged at 16 years to ensure a balance between cognitive maturity and academic preparedness.
“The issue of age at entry into tertiary institutions has generated much debate, but our position is clear.
“The entry age for admission into tertiary institutions is now officially pegged at 16 years.
“It was reduced from 18, which was to be effective from this year’s exercise, to the need for this compliance,” Alausa said.
He added, “This policy decision reflects a balance between cognitive maturity and academic preparedness.
“Sixteen years of age for admission is non-negotiable. Institutions are hereby directed to ensure strict compliance.”
The minister noted that while the policy is firm, exceptions would be made in rare and justifiable situations, particularly for exceptionally gifted children.
“We understand there may be a few exceptional cases, and provisions have already been made for legitimate exceptions, especially for gifted children or those with accelerated educational progress.
“However, this must be demonstrated and documented, and it must be justified,” Alausa said.
He also warned against attempts by candidates or institutions to manipulate age records in a bid to beat the new policy, saying such actions would attract strict penalties.
In his words, “The ministry is firm in its resolve, and those attempting to circumvent this policy by altering age records will be sanctioned accordingly.”
Alausa further warned that heads of tertiary institutions who are found guilty of admission fraud or bypassing the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) would face legal consequences.
“Any admission carried out outside the Central Admissions Processing System will be considered illegal,” he warned.
It would be recalled that in 2024, the former Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, had directed JAMB and tertiary institutions to stop admitting candidates below 18 years.
The directive was criticise and was later reviewed to accommodate candidates from 16 years of age, following pressure from stakeholders in the education sector.
Meanwhile, the annual JAMB policy meeting sets guidelines for the conduct of admissions into universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education for each academic session.
