Nigeria lowers tertiary admission age benchmark to 16, says education minister 

This change allows students who meet academic standards to apply to universities and other institutions at 16 instead of 18.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Dr. Alausa shared the update during his first press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday.

He explained that the previous 18-year benchmark stemmed from the structure of Nigeria’s National Policy on Education but would no longer be enforced.

Reports inform that Dr. Alausa outlined the new admission policy, confirming the shift to a 16-year benchmark for tertiary education. “We will not be going forward with the 18-years admission benchmark. We will go with 16 years and are going to meet with JAMB and others on that,” he stated, referring to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, which oversees admission processes.

He also noted that the policy includes exceptions for gifted students, who may be admitted even if they are younger than 16.b

This means that the Ministry of Education has decided to lower the minimum university admission age to 16. Students meeting academic standards can now apply at 16, with younger exceptions for gifted students. The ministry will coordinate with JAMB to put this change into effect.

Addressing concerns about the withdrawal of certificates obtained from institutions in Benin Republic and Togo, Dr. Alausa confirmed that this policy would stay in place. The measure is intended to eliminate fake certificates in the system.

The minister stressed the need to ensure the credibility of qualifications obtained abroad, especially from neighboring countries, in a bid to maintain Nigeria’s academic standards.

Dr. Alausa also highlighted the ministry’s focus on reducing the number of out-of-school children, a key priority for his office. He announced plans to collaborate with the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to implement conditional cash transfer programs, providing financial incentives for families to send their children to school.

“We will work with the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to provide conditional cash transfers as incentives for students to increase school enrollment,” he said, noting that financial support could encourage more students to stay in school.

In addition to financial support, Dr. Alausa said the ministry plans to introduce nutritional programs aimed at improving students’ health.

These programs will focus on enhancing the well-being of students to support their learning and contribute to human capital development across Nigeria.