The Federal Government has formally established 16 years as the minimum age requirement for admission into all tertiary institutions across the country.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, made the announcement while declaring open the 2025 Policy Meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Abuja.
Dr. Alausa stated unequivocally that the age benchmark is now official and non-negotiable, warning that institutions admitting candidates below the stipulated age will be sanctioned.
He also stressed that all admissions must be processed strictly through the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), declaring any admission carried out outside the system as illegal.
“Let it be clear: any institution that circumvents CAPS or engages in admission fraud will be held accountable, and heads of such institutions will face legal consequences,” the Minister said.
The annual JAMB policy meeting serves as the platform for setting guidelines for admissions into universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education for the upcoming academic session.
Reporting by Wahre Bello