The Federal Government has announced sweeping changes to Nigeria’s tertiary admission process following the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions held in Abuja on Monday, with the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, unveiling several landmark decisions affecting candidates, institutions, and examination procedures.
In a significant departure from existing practice, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board disclosed that candidates seeking admission into Education programmes and Agriculture related non engineering courses in Colleges of Education and Polytechnics would no longer be required to sit the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
Alausa confirmed that candidates pursuing the National Certificate in Education programme with a minimum of four credit passes would be exempted from the UTME, provided they still register with JAMB and undergo mandatory credential screening. “Candidates seeking admission into the NCE programme, who possess a minimum of four credit passes, will no longer be required to sit for the UTME,” he declared.
The minister added that the exemption would cover National Diploma programmes in non technology agricultural and agriculture related courses. He framed the policy as a measure to widen access without compromising standards. “This approach strikes a necessary balance between widening access and preserving the integrity of our admission system. It will not only ease the pressure associated with UTME but also encourage greater participation in teacher education and agricultural programmes, both of which are critical to national development,” Alausa stated.
On admission age, the minister announced that 16 years remains the minimum entry age into tertiary institutions, with exceptional cases to be managed under strictly defined guidelines. The meeting also retained 150 as the minimum UTME score for university admission for the 2026/27 academic session, following deliberations and a vote among vice chancellors and institutional heads. The board set 150 as the cut off mark for Colleges of Nursing, and 100 for polytechnics, with individual institutions permitted to demand higher scores based on programme demand.
The Federal Government issued a firm warning to institutions conducting admissions outside the Central Admissions Processing System, declaring such practices illegal. “Any institution found to have conducted admissions outside the CAPS will be held accountable, and appropriate sanctions shall be applied without hesitation,” Alausa warned, adding that violating institutions risk losing their operating licences.
In a forward looking announcement at the same meeting, JAMB Registrar Ishaq Oloyede revealed plans to introduce a Bring Your Own Device system from 2027, enabling candidates to sit the UTME on personal computers equipped with anti malpractice flash drives designed to block unauthorised access during examinations.
Eight tertiary institutions also shared a ₦750 million prize under the 2025 National Tertiary Admissions Performance Merit Award, with Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, clinching the overall prize of ₦500 million, and the University of Jos receiving ₦75 million as runner up.
The gathering equally marked the final policy meeting to be presided over by Oloyede, as confirmed by the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Said Ahmad, who acknowledged his decade of service since August 2016, during which JAMB remitted ₦20.7 billion in operating surplus to the Federal Government.
Last Updated on May 12, 2026 by Ola Funmilayo
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