The Federal Government has set 16 as the minimum age for admission into Nigerian universities, aiming to align academic readiness with maturity, NaijNaira can report.
Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa confirmed this policy during the 2025 JAMB policy meeting held in Abuja.
“Sixteen years is non-negotiable. It strikes a balance between cognitive development and academic performance,” he said.
He clarified that exemptions apply only to gifted students with proven accelerated learning paths.
Alausa warned institutions against manipulating age records to bypass the rule, stressing that violators would face strict penalties.
He also introduced fresh efforts to tackle exam malpractice, calling it “a cancer that eats into merit and public trust in the education system.”
To counter this, the ministry has created a Central Examination Malpractice Unit chaired by Permanent Secretary Abel Enitan.
The unit will serve as a national database, tracking and documenting malpractice cases across all education levels.
“The database will be open to all institutions. Those caught will face consequences under the Exam Malpractices Act,” he added.
The minister also pledged support for WAEC and NECO to expand computer-based testing to reduce cheating.
Article updated 6 days ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
