The Federal Government has officially fixed the minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions in Nigeria at 16 years.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, during the 2025 Policy Meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), which took place on Tuesday in Abuja.
Speaking at the opening of the meeting, Alausa stated that the age benchmark is now formal and not open to negotiation. He further cautioned that any admission process conducted outside the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) would be deemed illegal.
“The issue of age at entry into tertiary institutions has generated much debate, but our position is clear.
The entry age for admission into tertiary institutions is now officially pegged at 16 years.
It was reduced from 18, which was to be effective from this year’s exercise, to the need for this compliance,” Alausa said.
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He explained that the policy aims to align academic readiness with cognitive maturity, describing 16 as an appropriate balance between both.
“This policy decision reflects a balance between cognitive maturity and academic preparedness.
Sixteen years of age for admission is non-negotiable. Institutions are hereby directed to ensure strict compliance,” he added.
Although the directive will be strictly implemented, the Minister acknowledged that limited exceptions may apply in rare cases, particularly for exceptionally gifted children or those with accelerated academic progress.
“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,” he said.
Alausa also warned against any attempt to falsify age records to beat the policy, noting that institutions or individuals involved in such practices would face legal consequences.
In his words, “The ministry is firm in its resolve, and those attempting to circumvent this policy by altering age records will be sanctioned accordingly.”
He further stressed that heads of institutions found guilty of bypassing CAPS or engaging in admission fraud would be prosecuted in line with existing laws.
This decision comes after a similar policy introduced in 2024 by then Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, which proposed 18 as the minimum age. Following widespread backlash from stakeholders in the education sector, the minimum age was revised to 16.
JAMB’s annual policy meeting sets the framework for admission procedures into Nigeria’s universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education for each academic year.
