The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has announced that the federal government has officially pegged the minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions in Nigeria at 16 years.
Speaking on Tuesday at the 2025 policy meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Abuja, Alausa clarified that the new age policy aims to strike a balance between cognitive maturity and academic preparedness.
This decision marks a reversal of the earlier policy by his predecessor, Prof. Tahir Mamman, who had set the minimum admission age at 18 in July 2024. Following Mamman’s exit from office, Alausa reinstated 16 as the minimum age, now declaring it “non-negotiable.”
“The issue of age at entry into tertiary institutions has generated much debate, but our position is clear,” the minister stated.
“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.”
He emphasized that institutions must ensure strict adherence to the policy, adding that exceptions will only be allowed for “gifted children or those with accelerated educational progress,” which must be properly documented and justified.
In October 2024, a Delta State court ruled that JAMB could not legally impose a minimum age requirement, effectively nullifying the board’s age policy. However, JAMB subsequently filed for a stay of execution pending appeal.
Despite the legal backdrop, the education ministry has now reaffirmed its stance. “The ministry is firm in its resolve, and those attempting to circumvent this policy by altering age records will be sanctioned accordingly,” Alausa warned.
JAMB had earlier noted that exceptionally brilliant candidates under 16 could still sit for its Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), but such candidates must meet clear criteria for exception.