The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has rolled out stringent procedures for screening of exceptional Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidates, who are still under the age of 16 years for admission into Nigerian universities in the 2025/2026 academic session.

JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, who rolled out the measures during a virtual meeting with vice chancellors and heads of admissions on Wednesday in Abuja, said the Board would no longer tolerate the “academic abuse” of pushing psychologically and emotionally unprepared children into the rigours of university life.

The move follows a government policy, which pegged the official minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions at 16 years, with exceptions for high performing candidates under 16.

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, who presented the policy at the 2025 policy meeting of JAMB, said it aims to balance cognitive maturity and academic preparedness, and curb the growing trend of underage candidates in Nigerian universities.

While reaffirming 16 years as the minimum entry age for tertiary education, Oloyede on Wednesday said underage candidates would only be considered on clearly proven grounds of exceptional academic brilliance.

“We are not saying no child under 16 will be admitted, but they must pass through a rigorous screening process that confirms they are truly gifted. This policy is not just about age; it’s about maturity, capacity, and long-term wellbeing,” he said.

He maintained that to qualify for consideration, under-16 candidates must meet three academic criteria, namely: a minimum UTME score of 320 out of 400 (80 per cent), a post-UTME score of at least 80 per cent, and a minimum of 80 per cent in a single sitting of WAEC or NECO, amounting to 24 points out of 30.

Oloyede also outlawed the combination of results from two different exam bodies such as mixing WAEC and NECO results for such a category of candidates, adding that science students must include mathematics in their top subjects, while arts students must include English.

He urged relevant institutions to assess all under-16 candidates through a dedicated post-UTME, even if the school has suspended such a process for the general admission population. JAMB will then collate the academic records and forward only those who meet all benchmarks for further screening.

Meanwhile, JAMB has also inaugurated a 23-man National Committee on Underage Admission, chaired by its Registrar, Oloyede, to carry out the screening of the underage candidates in Abuja, Lagos and Owerri.

The board also announced the introduction of a fourth layer of assessment that includes affective and psychomotor evaluations, areas previously overlooked in the admissions process.