The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that candidates below 16 years old can be admitted into tertiary institutions if they score at least 320 out of 400 in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
This decision comes after the education ministry reinstated 16 years as the minimum admission age, reversing a previous policy that set the age at 18.
The JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, explained that while 16 remains the standard requirement, exceptions will be made for academically gifted students who meet strict criteria.
Candidates must prove their abilities across multiple assessments, including UTME, WASSCE, Post-UTME, and GCE O/Level.
JAMB also expressed concern over private universities admitting underage students who later struggle academically.
To assess younger candidates, JAMB has introduced a mock UTME, which will take place on February 23.
The main UTME is scheduled for March 8, following the sale of forms from January 31 to March 5.
