The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and stakeholders in the tertiary education sector have approved a minimum Unified Ter...
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and stakeholders in the tertiary education sector have approved a minimum Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) score of 150 for admission into Nigerian universities in the 2025 academic year.
At the annual policy meeting on admissions held Tuesday in Abuja, the Federal Government also reiterated that 16 years is now the official and non-negotiable minimum age for admission into any tertiary institution in the country.
The meeting, which brought together vice-chancellors, rectors, and provosts, also pegged 100 as the minimum score for polytechnics and colleges of education, and 140 for colleges of nursing.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, confirmed the new thresholds after delegates voted on the national minimum tolerable UTME scores.
“Every institution should maintain its own approved minimum. But none must go below the agreed benchmarks,” Oloyede said.
How the Votes Went
Despite a push by both Oloyede and Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, for a minimum of 160 for university admissions, most stakeholders rejected the proposal.
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Prof. Ernest Izevbigie of Michael Lawrence University proposed 140
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Lighthouse University suggested 130
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Only Prof. Ayodeji Agboola of Olabisi Onabanjo University backed 160
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Prof. Owunari Georgewill of the University of Port Harcourt proposed the adopted 150
With most stakeholders in agreement, 150 was finally adopted for universities, while the previous year’s scores—140 for universities and 100 for other institutions—were revised accordingly.
FG Declares 16 as Admission Age Limit
Declaring the meeting open, Dr. Tunji Alausa reinforced the government's new policy on entry age:
“The entry age for admission into tertiary institutions is now officially pegged at 16 years. This is not negotiable.”
He explained that the move—from an earlier proposed age of 18—is designed to ensure “a balance between academic readiness and cognitive maturity.”
“Institutions are hereby directed to ensure strict compliance. Any admission carried out outside the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) is illegal,” Alausa warned.
He, however, noted that rare exceptions may be granted in well-documented cases involving gifted children or accelerated learners, but cautioned against falsifying age records.
“Manipulating age records will not be tolerated. All exceptions must be justified and documented,” he said.
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