The Federal Government has officially fixed 16 years as the minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, during the 2025 policy meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) held in Abuja on Tuesday.
Dr. Alausa emphasised that the decision is aimed at aligning students’ cognitive development with the academic demands of higher education.
“This policy decision reflects a balance between cognitive maturity and academic preparedness. 16 years is non-negotiable,” he said.
He, however, acknowledged that exceptions could be made for gifted students who have advanced academically ahead of their age group. But such cases, he said, must be clearly documented and justified.
Sanctions against age manipulation
The Minister cautioned tertiary institutions against manipulating student age records to bypass the age limit.
He warned that institutions found altering age records would be sanctioned, reinforcing the seriousness of the new directive. Although no specific penalties were announced at the meeting, the Minister said enforcement would be strict.
Beyond the age policy, Dr Alausa unveiled new measures to curb examination malpractice, which he described as a “cancer” in Nigeria’s education system.
“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,” he said.
To address this issue systematically, the Federal Government is establishing a Central Examination Malpractice Unit within the Federal Ministry of Education. The unit will be chaired by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Abel Enitan. It will document and track malpractice cases nationwide and share data with institutions.
CBT in National Exams
Dr Alausa also announced that the government will support WAEC and NECO to adopt computer-based testing (CBT) across the board.
This move, he said, is intended to further reduce examination fraud and bring the conduct of national exams in line with global best practices.
What you should know
In early 2024, under Education Minister Prof. Tahir Mamman, the Federal Government introduced an 18‑year minimum age requirement for university admission. The policy also extended to NECO and WAEC exam eligibility, with provisions blocking under 18 candidates from taking those exams starting that year
- However, the announcement triggered widespread backlash from parents, educators, school heads, and even the National Assembly, who argued it would unfairly exclude academically qualified 16‑ and 17‑year‑olds
- As pressure mounted, Mamman softened the stance by allowing under‑18 candidates for the 2024 admissions but maintained that the age floor would apply strictly in 2025
- The abrupt shift was reversed after the October 2024 cabinet reshuffle that elevated Dr. Tunji Alausa formerly Minister of State for Health to lead the Education Ministry
During his inaugural press briefing in November 2024, Alausa announced the abolition of the proposed 18‑year barrier. He attributed the earlier policy to a rigid interpretation of the National Policy on Education, and maintained that younger gifted candidates would still be accommodated under special provisions.
A good step in the right direction