Chidimma Uchegbu
The Nigerian Government has officially fixed the minimum entry age into Nigeria’s tertiary institutions at 16.
Education Minister, Dr. Tunji Alausa, made this declaration on Tuesday while speaking at the ongoing Policy Meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Abuja, Nigeria.
According to him, the policy decision reflects a balance between cognitive maturity and academic preparedness, stressing that 16 years is non-negotiable.
The Minister stated that “the new age requirement is non-negotiable and must be strictly adhered to by all institutions across the country.”
Alausa, however, noted that provisions exist for clearly documented and justified exceptions, such as gifted children with accelerated educational progress.
He also issued a stern warning to universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education against conducting admissions outside the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS), describing such acts as illegal.
According to him, “heads of institutions who bypass CAPS or manipulate the admission process will face prosecution.”
