2025 UTME: JAMB Screens 176 Underage Candidates

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Wednesday conducted a special screening exercise for 176 exceptional underage candidates who achieved high scores in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The exercise is part of JAMB’s efforts to ensure that only exceptionally brilliant candidates below the age of 16 are considered for admission into tertiary institutions for the 2025/2026 academic session. The screening took place simultaneously in Abuja, Owerri, and Lagos, and was conducted by a panel of experts assembled by the board.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, Chairman of the Abuja Screening Centre, expressed satisfaction with the smooth conduct of the exercise. He explained that candidates first took a written test, followed by multiple interview sessions.

“They did the first paper which took about 20 minutes. After marking, they proceeded to the second session, then the third, and finally had a face-to-face interaction with the panel,” he explained.

Adedoja noted that 22 candidates participated in the Abuja centre, while the total number nationwide was 176. He added that the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, will determine the release date for the screening results.

Also speaking, Senator Mohammed Muntari Dandutse, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, commended JAMB for creating opportunities for talented young students to showcase their abilities.

“It is very important for the underaged to be assessed because of their maturity and focus. If you take underage students to university and they don’t perform, it’s a wasted effort. This exercise ensures that only the best talents are selected, paving the way for national development,” he said.

Dandutse also reaffirmed the National Assembly’s support for President Bola Tinubu’s education policies, praising JAMB’s consistency and transparency.

Similarly, Hon. Oboku Oforji, Chairman of the House Committee on Basic Examination Bodies, lauded the candidates’ impressive performance, describing it as proof of Nigeria’s educational competitiveness in Africa.

“For these underage students to have performed exceptionally well shows the progress we are making in education. We are proud of JAMB and encourage them to do even more,” he stated.

At the Owerri Centre, 38 out of 43 shortlisted candidates participated in the exercise. Prof. Paulinus Okwelle, Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) and Chairman of the centre, praised the candidates for their orderly conduct and reaffirmed that the screening would strictly follow JAMB’s guidelines.

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The under-16 candidates at the Owerri Centre were drawn from the South-South and South-East geopolitical zones.

In Nigeria, the official age for university admission is 18, but national policy allows entry from 16 years. A total of 41,027 candidates applied under the underage category for the 2025 UTME; however, only 599 scored 80% and above. Further screening narrowed this down to 176 candidates, after some were disqualified for failing to meet O’Level or Post-UTME benchmarks.

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The screening panel included representatives from the Federal Ministry of Education, National Universities Commission (NUC), Vice Chancellors, and Gifted Schools, among others.