DAILY MENTOR NEWS
By Staff Writer | August 13, 2025
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that it will commence screening for more than 500 exceptional candidates under the age of 16 who are seeking admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions for the 2025/2026 academic session.
The screening exercise is scheduled to take place from September 22 to 26, 2025, across three centers: Lagos, Abuja, and Owerri. According to JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, Lagos will host 397 candidates, Owerri 136, and Abuja 66.
The screening is set up by a special technical committee created in response to the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results, where 599 candidates scored above 300 but were below the official minimum admission age of 16 years, prompting a need to determine which underage candidates are exceptionally prepared for tertiary education.
Out of a total of over 41,000 underage candidates who sat for the 2025 UTME, only a small number met the preliminary qualification criteria. The screening aims to balance academic excellence with cognitive and psychological maturity, to ensure only the most prepared and gifted candidates gain admission.
The assessment will involve subject-specific tests followed by a brief oral interview. To uphold transparency, the committee will verify West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results from the West African Examination Council (WAEC) or National Examinations Council (NECO) for shortlisted candidates.
Admission criteria require candidates to have scored at least 320 in UTME, achieved a minimum of 80 percent in the post-UTME assessment, and obtained at least 80 percent (24/30 points) in a single WAEC or NECO sitting.
Several universities, including the Air Force Institute of Technology in Kaduna, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University in Bauchi, University of Jos, and Osun State University, have already declared that they will not admit underage candidates under any circumstances.
Prof. Oloyede urged parents to desist from imposing undue pressure on young candidates for early university admission, emphasizing natural growth and maturity as essential for academic success.
The screening exercise is part of JAMB's commitment to discouraging age falsification, protecting young candidates from premature academic exposure, and maintaining educational standards within Nigeria's tertiary institutions.
The final list of successful underage candidates recommended for admission is expected to be released in September 2025 following the rigorous screening and verification process.
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