The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has screened 176 outstanding underage candidates who excelled in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), as part of efforts to assess their eligibility for admission into tertiary institutions despite being below the official entry age.
The nationwide screening exercise, held on Wednesday across Abuja, Owerri, and Lagos, was organized to ensure that only exceptionally brilliant candidates under 16 are considered for admission into universities for the 2025/2026 academic session.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja, the Chairman of the Screening Committee, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, commended the smooth conduct of the exercise, which involved written tests and face-to-face interviews.
“Candidates first took a written paper that lasted about 20 minutes. After marking, they proceeded to the next sessions, culminating in an interactive interview,” Adedoja explained.
He noted that 22 candidates participated at the Abuja centre, while a total of 176 candidates were screened nationwide.
The outcome of the exercise, he said, would be determined by the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, who will announce the results at a later date.
In Owerri, 38 out of 43 shortlisted candidates from the South-East and South-South zones took part in the exercise.
The centre’s chairman and Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Prof. Paulinus Okwelle, praised the candidates’ conduct and assured that the process was conducted strictly in line with JAMB’s guidelines.
At the Abuja centre, lawmakers monitoring the process expressed satisfaction with JAMB’s efforts.
Senator Mohammed Muntari Dandutse, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, commended JAMB for providing a fair platform for gifted underage candidates to showcase their academic potential.
“It is important to assess their maturity and focus before university admission.
“Allowing only those who are ready will ensure the best talents are selected for the country’s growth,” the senator stated, while reaffirming the National Assembly’s support for President Bola Tinubu’s education policies.
Similarly, Hon. Oboku Oforji, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Examination Bodies, lauded JAMB for maintaining transparency and consistency in its operations.
“For underage candidates to perform exceptionally well shows how competitive our education system has become. We are proud of JAMB’s achievements and encourage them to sustain this standard,” Oforji said.
According to JAMB, out of 41,027 candidates who initially applied under the exceptionally brilliant underage category, only 599 scored 80 percent and above in the UTME. After further screening of their O-Level and Post-UTME results, 176 candidates were confirmed for the final assessment.
The screening panel included representatives from the Federal Ministry of Education, National Universities Commission (NUC), Vice-Chancellors, and the Gifted Education Programme, among others.
In Nigeria, the minimum age for university admission is 18, although the National Policy on Education permits exceptional students aged 16 and above to be considered under special circumstances.
JAMB’s initiative, lawmakers noted, not only recognizes academic excellence but also safeguards educational standards by ensuring that candidates admitted under this category are truly ready for the rigours of higher education.
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