The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced a special screening exercise for over 500 exceptional candidates under the age of 16 who are seeking admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions for the 2025/2026 academic session.
Screening Dates & Approved Centres
The exercise will hold from Monday, 22nd September to Friday, 26th September 2025 across three regional centres disclosed by JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede:
- Lagos Centre: 397 shortlisted candidates
- Owerri Centre: 136 shortlisted candidates
- Abuja Centre: 66 shortlisted candidates
Out of the 41,027 underage candidates who sat for the 2025 UTME, over 40,000 did not meet the strict academic benchmark required for the special waiver.
Strict Qualification Criteria for Underage Candidates
According to the technical subcommittee chaired by Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, shortlisted underage candidates will undergo subject-specific tests, a brief oral interview, and WAEC result verification. To qualify for admission consideration under the underage exception, a candidate must achieve:
- At least 320 in UTME (80%)
- At least 80% in Post-UTME
- At least 80% (24 out of 30 points) in a single sitting of WAEC or NECO
4 Universities That Will Not Admit Underage Candidates
JAMB noted that four universities have officially stated they will not admit candidates under 16 under any circumstances:
- Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Kaduna
- Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi
- University of Jos (UNIJOS)
- Osun State University (UNIOSUN)
Aspirants preparing for upcoming UTME and Post-UTME assessments can practice on the Mentra JAMB CBT app, available on both Android and iOS.
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Every study guide, syllabus analysis, and timing breakdown is cross-checked against official examination criteria (JAMB UTME, POST-UTME, and WAEC) by subject matter specialists.
