BREAKING: FG Fixes Tertiary Admission Age At 16

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government has officially pegged the minimum entry age into Nigeria’s tertiary institutions at 16 years, declaring the policy as “non-negotiable.”

The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, made the announcement on Tuesday during the opening of the 2025 Policy Meeting on Admissions organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Abuja.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Alausa stressed that no candidate below the age of 16 would be admitted into any university, polytechnic, college of education, or any other tertiary institution across the country.

“The official age of 16 set by the Federal Government is not negotiable,” the minister declared.

He said the age benchmark was introduced to safeguard the academic and psychological well-being of prospective students and ensure that those admitted are mature enough to cope with tertiary education demands.

Alausa also issued a stern warning to heads of institutions against conducting admissions outside of JAMB’s Central Admission Processing System (CAPS), stressing that any such action would be deemed illegal.

“Any admission conducted outside of the CAPS platform shall be regarded as illegal and those involved will face prosecution,” he warned.

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He added that the ministry, in collaboration with JAMB, is ready to take decisive action against admission racketeering, which has continued to undermine the credibility of Nigeria’s tertiary education system.

The minister didn’t stop at warning institutional actors but made it clear that vice-chancellors, rectors, and provosts found complicit in admission irregularities would be held accountable.

“Heads of institutions involved in admission fraud will be prosecuted accordingly. The era of backdoor admissions is over,” Alausa said.

The new directive aligns with broader education sector reforms championed by the Tinubu-led administration, aimed at enhancing transparency, reducing exploitation, and streamlining Nigeria’s higher education admission process.

Stakeholders at the JAMB policy meeting were urged to uphold ethical standards in the conduct of admissions and ensure full compliance with federal regulations.

The move is expected to spark reactions from institutions that admit candidates through multiple pathways, including remedial and pre-degree programmes, which often include applicants younger than 16.