The Federal Government has now officially approved 16 years as the minimum age required to gain admission into any of Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
This decision was made known by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, during the 2025 Policy Meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), which took place in Abuja on Tuesday.
While declaring the event open, the minister noted that the age limit has become a firm standard and cannot be changed or debated.
Dr. Alausa stressed that any institution that offers admission outside the approved Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) will have its actions classified as illegal.
He explained that institutions must follow the rules set by CAPS, which is the authorized platform used by JAMB to regulate and process all admissions into universities, colleges of education, and polytechnics in the country.
He also warned that university, polytechnic, or college heads who are caught taking part in admission fraud or trying to bypass the CAPS system will face legal consequences.
