… Varsities set 150 as cut-off score
…JAMB warns against CAPS violations, reveals top UTME scorers
… UNILAG tops candidate preference list
ABUJA — The Federal Government has officially fixed 16 years as the minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions across Nigeria, warning that the policy is non-negotiable and binding on all universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
The announcement was made by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, during the ongoing 2025 Policy Meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Abuja, where key stakeholders in the nation’s education sector convened to review admission policies and consolidate regulatory compliance.
Dr Alausa stressed that the new age requirement aims to preserve academic integrity and ensure that incoming students possess the intellectual and emotional maturity required for higher education.
He noted that while rare exceptions may apply for gifted students on accelerated paths, any such deviations must be clearly documented and justified.
“The issue of age at entry has generated much debate, but our position is clear. The entry age for admission is now officially pegged at 16 years,” he said, cautioning that falsifying age records to subvert the rule would attract strict penalties.
The Minister also issued a stern warning against admissions conducted outside the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS), which remains the only legally recognised channel for admitting students into tertiary institutions.
He cautioned that institutions found manipulating admissions or violating CAPS guidelines would face prosecution in line with extant laws.
In a related development at the same event, Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian universities agreed to adopt 150 as the minimum cut-off score for admission into universities for the 2025/2026 academic session, an increase from 140 in 2024.
Meanwhile, Rectors of polytechnics and Provosts of Colleges of Education and Agriculture settled on 100 as the minimum qualifying score, while Colleges of Nursing opted for 140.
JAMB Registrar, Professor Ish-aq Oloyede, who made the announcement, said the cut-off marks were reached through a consensus involving institutional heads and regulators, reflecting current academic expectations.
Prof. Oloyede further revealed that Lagos State University (LASU), the University of Lagos (UNILAG), and the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) emerged as the top three most preferred institutions by candidates in the 2025/2026 admission cycle, based on UTME application data.
Highlighting outstanding student performance, JAMB also unveiled the top scorers in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Leading the chart is Okeke Chinedu Christian from Anambra State, who scored 375 and applied to study Mechanical Engineering at UNILAG.
He was closely followed by Ayuba Simon-Peter John from Gombe State with a score of 374, choosing Afe Babalola University (ABUAD) for the same course.
The third top scorer, Jimoh Abdulmalik Olayinka from Kwara State, scored 373 and also chose UNILAG for Mechanical Engineering.
The Policy Meeting continues in Abuja as stakeholders deliberate on reforms to improve access, quality, and fairness in Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
