JAMB has tied its 16 year minimum admission age requirement directly to the country’s established education laws, pushing back against calls for a review of the policy while simultaneously unveiling a new framework to address declining enrolment in colleges of education.
Dr Fabian Benjamin, the board’s Public Communication Adviser, made the position known on Thursday at a Zoom dialogue convened by the Education Writers Association of Nigeria. The session, themed “2026 Admission Policy Review and JAMB Scorecard: A Conversation with the Registrar,” drew stakeholders seeking clarity on current admission policies.
Benjamin disclosed that a London university had previously written to JAMB expressing surprise over the credentials of a Nigerian student applying for a master’s degree at what the institution considered an unusually young age. “We responded and explained the circumstances, and the university was shocked,” he revealed, using the example to illustrate the global scrutiny that comes with admitting underage candidates.
He traced the age requirement to specific legislative frameworks, stating that its basis was visible in existing documents. “If you go back and look at the National Council on Education decisions, the Universal Basic Education Commission Act and the National Policy on Education, you will see clearly defined age expectations for primary, secondary and university education,” Benjamin stated.
The adviser emphasised that maturity remained central to academic success. “We have seen over and over again that age continues to play a major role. Beyond academics, education is a serious enterprise. Maturity plays a significant role in who you are, what you want to achieve and how you achieve it,” he noted.
Benjamin confirmed that the policy carries provisions for gifted candidates. “Such candidates must attain a particular threshold of performance before they can be considered for admission below the prescribed age,” he said, adding that the exception existed to ensure genuinely talented children were not denied advancement opportunities.
Turning to colleges of education, Benjamin disclosed that some institutions had been filling less than 20% of available spaces. Under a new policy, candidates for National Certificate in Education programmes will register with JAMB but may not be required to sit the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. Colleges will also discontinue direct degree admissions through affiliate universities, requiring students to complete the NCE route before progressing to degree programmes within the same institution.
The policy, Benjamin noted, forms part of a broader stakeholder backed plan to strengthen teacher education and raise the number of qualified teachers across Nigeria.
Last Updated on June 26, 2026 by Ola Funmilayo
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