The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has screened 176 exceptional underage candidates who recorded outstanding scores in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The special screening, conducted simultaneously in Abuja, Lagos and Owerri, was aimed at assessing candidates below the age of 16 for possible admission into tertiary institutions for the 2025/2026 academic session.
Chairman of the Abuja screening panel and former Minister of Sports, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, expressed satisfaction with the exercise. He explained that candidates first sat for a written test before participating in oral interviews.
“They took a 20-minute written paper, which was marked on the spot, followed by second and third stages, including direct interaction with the panel,” Adedoja said.
He disclosed that 22 candidates were screened in Abuja, while 176 participated nationwide. He added that the results would be released at the discretion of the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, Senator Mohammed Muntari Dandutse, who monitored the exercise, commended JAMB for creating a platform for exceptionally talented underage candidates to prove their readiness.
“This assessment is necessary to determine their maturity and focus. If an underage student gains admission but fails to cope, it becomes a wasted effort. This process ensures only the most capable are selected,” Dandutse said.
He reaffirmed the National Assembly’s support for President Bola Tinubu’s education policies and applauded JAMB for its transparency and consistency.
Also speaking, Chairman of the House Committee on Basic Examination Bodies, Hon. Oboku Oforji, praised the candidates’ performance, saying it reflects Nigeria’s growing educational competitiveness across Africa.
At the Owerri Centre, 38 out of 43 shortlisted candidates took part in the exercise. Chairman of the panel and Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Prof. Paulinus Okwelle, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the candidates, who were drawn from the South-East and South-South regions.
He assured that the screening followed JAMB’s guidelines and commended the candidates for their discipline.
Although the official minimum age for university admission in Nigeria is 18, the National Policy on Education permits entry from age 16 under special circumstances.
According to JAMB, 41,027 underage candidates registered as exceptionally gifted for the 2025 UTME. Of that number, only 599 scored 80 percent or higher, and following additional assessments, 176 qualified for the final screening.
The panel included representatives from the Federal Ministry of Education, National Universities Commission (NUC), Vice Chancellors, and the Gifted Education Programme, among others.
