The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has screened 176 exceptional underage candidates who scored high marks in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The special screening exercise, conducted simultaneously in Abuja, Lagos, and Owerri, was designed to ensure that only outstanding candidates below the age of 16 are considered for admission into tertiary institutions for the 2025/2026 academic session.
Chairman of the Abuja Centre, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the exercise. He explained that candidates first sat for a written examination before proceeding to face-to-face interviews.
“They did the first paper, which took about 20 minutes, after which the scripts were marked. They then proceeded to the second and third sessions, followed by direct interaction with the panel,” Adedoja said.
He disclosed that 22 candidates participated in the Abuja Centre, while 176 were screened nationwide. He added that the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, would determine when the results would be released.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, Senator Mohammed Muntari Dandutse, who monitored the exercise, commended JAMB for providing a platform for talented underage candidates to demonstrate their abilities.
“It is very important that they are assessed because of maturity and focus. If an underage student enters university and fails to cope, it becomes a wasted effort. This assessment ensures that only the best are selected,” Dandutse said.
He reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to supporting President Bola Tinubu’s education policies and lauded JAMB for its transparency and consistency.
Also speaking, Chairman of the House Committee on Basic Examination Bodies, Hon. Oboku Oforji, praised the candidates for their exceptional performance, saying it reflects Nigeria’s growing competitiveness in education across Africa.
At the Owerri Centre, where 38 out of 43 shortlisted candidates participated, Chairman of the panel and Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Prof. Paulinus Okwelle, expressed satisfaction with the exercise and commended the candidates for their discipline.
He assured that the screening process would strictly follow JAMB’s guidelines. The candidates at the Owerri Centre were drawn from the South-East and South-South regions.
The Guardian reports that while the official age for university admission in Nigeria is 18, the National Policy on Education allows entry from age 16.
Out of 41,027 applicants who registered as exceptionally brilliant underage candidates for the 2025 UTME, only 599 scored 80 percent and above. After further screening, 176 qualified for the final assessment.
The screening panel included representatives from the Federal Ministry of Education, National Universities Commission (NUC), Vice Chancellors, and the Gifted School, among others.
