The Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) has extended its deadline for admitting candidates under 16 years old into Nigerian tertiary institutions to August 2025. This decision comes as a reconsideration of its earlier policy, which mandated a minimum admission age of 16 years for the 2024/2025 academic session.
Previously, JAMB had enforced the 16-year minimum age policy for all tertiary institutions during its policy meeting held earlier this year. According to JAMB, institutions were required to ensure that no candidate below 16 would be admitted in the current academic cycle. However, after receiving feedback and considering varying academic calendars, the board has decided to offer more flexibility.
In an official letter dated October 16, 2024, signed by Muhammed Babaji on behalf of JAMB Registrar Ishaq Oloyede, the board informed all vice-chancellors, rectors, and provosts of the decision. Institutions are now permitted to admit students aged 15, provided that these candidates turn 16 before or by August 31, 2025.
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JAMB clarified that the original policy was established to standardize admission practices across all tertiary institutions. The December 31, 2024, cut-off date initially set for admissions under this policy was meant to create uniformity. However, JAMB acknowledged that certain institutions may have longer admission periods, extending into mid-2025.
As a result, the board has introduced this new measure to ensure fairness without compromising academic standards. Institutions are still expected to meet JAMB’s set requirements for admitting students, with age being one of the key factors. Institutions that choose to uphold the original 16-year minimum age requirement for admissions in 2024 are free to do so.
The letter also directed institutions to review their Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) and submit lists of candidates who meet the new age criteria by October 23, 2024.
This policy shift aims to create equitable opportunities for younger candidates without disrupting academic processes. JAMB reiterated that the final decision on the minimum admission age still rests with individual institutions, allowing them the autonomy to maintain stricter age policies if they prefer.
This new development is expected to ease the admission process for students who narrowly miss the 16-year mark, offering them the opportunity to pursue higher education within the stipulated timeline.
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