The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has introduced stricter screening for candidates under 16 seeking university admission in the 2025/2026 session.
Registrar Professor Ishaq Oloyede warned that emotionally and psychologically unprepared children would no longer be admitted, describing such cases as “academic abuse.” Under a new federal policy, 16 remains the minimum entry age, but high-performing exceptions must now meet rigorous benchmarks.
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Candidates under 16 must score at least 320 in UTME, 80% in post-UTME, and 80% in a single WAEC or NECO sitting. Combination of results is prohibited. A national committee has been set up to assess eligible candidates through academic, emotional, and psychomotor evaluations in Abuja, Lagos, and Owerri.
Professor Oloyede revealed only 599 out of 38,000 underage applicants met the academic threshold. Several universities have already opted out of admitting candidates below the minimum age.
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