By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
NIGERIA’s OFFICIAL minimum age for university and other tertiary admissions is now set at 16, following a federal policy directive mandating strict nationwide compliance.
The decision was announced in Abuja by Education Minister Dr Tunji Alausa during the 2025 policy meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
Reversing an earlier directive by his predecessor, Tahir Mamman, who had raised the age bar to 18, Alausa said the new age threshold aligns with cognitive readiness and educational standards.
“Sixteen years of age for admission is non-negotiable,” he declared. “This policy decision reflects a balance between cognitive maturity and academic preparedness.”
The minister acknowledged concerns over academic acceleration and confirmed that exceptional candidates below the age limit could still qualify under strict conditions.
“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.”
The declaration follows a 2024 court ruling in Delta State, which held that JAMB lacked the legal standing to impose a minimum age requirement.
In response, the board filed a stay of execution while appealing the decision. Despite this legal backdrop, the Federal Government’s new directive places the admission age firmly at 16, with Alausa warning institutions against manipulating student records to evade the rule.
“Those attempting to circumvent this policy by altering age records will be sanctioned accordingly,” he said.
Addressing the persistent threat of examination malpractice, Alausa described it as a systemic “cancer” undermining merit and public confidence in the education system.
He announced the establishment of a Central Examination Malpractice Unit within the Federal Ministry of Education, chaired by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Abel Enitan.
“This central database will be accessible to all institutions. It is our hope that this will reduce the tendency to engage in malpractices, as offenders will be appropriately tried under the Exam Malpractices Act,” the minister stated.
The government also affirmed its support for WAEC and NECO’s transition to computer-based testing, positioning it as a further step in addressing malpractice and modernising exam standards nationwide.
