Abuja, Nigeria–The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced plans to screen over 500 academically exceptional candidates below the age of 16 for possible admission into tertiary institutions for the 2025/2026 academic session.
The screening exercise, scheduled to begin next month, will be conducted by a dedicated technical committee across three designated centres in Lagos, Abuja, and Owerri. According to the Board’s Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, Lagos will host 397 candidates, Owerri 136, and Abuja 66.
Speaking during a virtual meeting with stakeholders, Professor Oloyede revealed that of the 41,027 underage candidates who sat for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), only a small fraction demonstrated the exceptional performance required to proceed to the next stage.
“This process is to ensure that only truly exceptional and adequately prepared underage candidates are considered for admission. We are not reinventing the wheel — similar practices exist globally,” he stated.
The subcommittee overseeing the screening, chaired by Professor Taoheed Adedoja, reported that the shortlisted candidates would undergo subject-specific written assessments followed by brief oral interviews. Additionally, the committee resolved to request candidates’ academic records from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to verify their eligibility before interviews commence.
Admission eligibility criteria include a minimum UTME score of 320 (80%), at least 80% in post-UTME assessments, and a minimum of 80% (24 out of 30 points) in a single sitting of either WAEC or NECO.
The virtual meeting was attended by key stakeholders, including heads of tertiary institutions, representatives from government agencies and civil society, members of the Nigerian Academy of Education, and the principal of the Federal Government Academy, Suleja.
By Taiwo Olatinwo/ August 13, 2025
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