The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has set a minimum score of 320 in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for exceptionally gifted candidates under the age of 16 seeking admission into tertiary institutions, in addition to meeting several rigorous requirements.
This announcement coincided with the inauguration of a 24-member committee, chaired by JAMB Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, to screen 599 underage high-achievers who scored above 320 in the 2025 UTME for possible university admission.
Additional criteria for these candidates include achieving at least 80% in both the post-UTME and the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), as well as successfully passing an interview.
During a virtual meeting with vice-chancellors and admission officers on Wednesday in Abuja, Oloyede emphasized that JAMB would no longer permit what he described as the “academic abuse” of admitting emotionally and psychologically unready children into university environments.
Oloyede disclosed that out of the over 38,000 underage candidates who applied for admission, only 599 scored 320 and above in UTME, justifying the need for tighter measures.
The move follows a government policy, which pegged the official minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions at 16 years, with exceptions for high-performing candidates under 16.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, who presented the policy at the 2025 policy meeting of JAMB, said it aimed to balance cognitive maturity and academic preparedness and curb the growing trend of underage candidates in Nigerian universities.
While reaffirming 16 years as the minimum entry age for tertiary education, Oloyede said underage candidates would only be considered on clearly proven grounds of exceptional academic brilliance.
He maintained that to qualify for consideration, under-16 candidates must meet three academic criteria, namely: a minimum UTME score of 320 out of 400 (80 per cent), a post-UTME score of at least 80 per cent, and a minimum of 80 per cent in a single sitting of WAEC or NECO, amounting to 24 points out of 30.
Oloyede also outlawed the combination of results from two different examination bodies, such as mixing WAEC and NECO results for such a category of candidates, adding that science students must include mathematics in their top subjects, while arts students must include English.
He urged relevant institutions to assess all under-16 candidates through a dedicated post-UTME, even if the school has suspended such a process for the general admission population.
It will test the candidates’ brilliance to determine reasons they should be offered admission before the minimum requirement age of 16 years by September 30.
MEANWHILE, Air Force Institute of Technology, Kaduna; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi; University of Jos and Osun State University do not admit underage students.