The Federal Government has announced that candidates seeking admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions must be at least 16 years old, declaring the age benchmark as the official and non-negotiable requirement going forward.
The directive was issued by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, on Tuesday while declaring open the 2025 Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Policy Meeting held in Abuja.
Dr. Alausa stated that the move to enforce a minimum age limit is aimed at enhancing quality and order in the country’s higher education system. He stressed that admitting underage candidates has posed significant challenges in the past, especially with regard to maturity and learning outcomes.
“Let me make it clear: the federal government has fixed the minimum age for entry into any tertiary institution in Nigeria at 16 years. This policy is now official and must be respected by all institutions,” Alausa said.
The minister also issued a stern warning to vice chancellors, rectors, and provosts, insisting that any admission conducted outside the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) operated by JAMB would be deemed illegal. He noted that erring institutions and individuals would be sanctioned, including possible prosecution.
“We are determined to clean up the admission process. Any institution caught admitting students outside of CAPS, or below the approved age, will face severe consequences. The government will not hesitate to prosecute those involved in such acts,” he said.
CAPS, introduced by JAMB to automate and standardise admission procedures, ensures transparency, equity, and merit-based selection in the tertiary education system. It has since become a central tool in curbing admission racketeering and backdoor entries.
Dr. Alausa urged institutions to fully comply with the laid-down admission guidelines and to uphold integrity in the discharge of their duties.
The policy meeting, which brings together heads of tertiary institutions and other education stakeholders, also reviewed the performance statistics of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and deliberated on the general cut-off marks for admissions into universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, echoed the government’s position, saying the 16-year minimum age policy was long overdue and would help streamline the academic calendar while discouraging undue pressure on students.
The new age requirement and stricter enforcement of CAPS are expected to take full effect for the 2025/2026 admission cycle.
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