The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has screened 176 exceptionally brilliant underage candidates who scored high marks in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The nationwide exercise, held simultaneously in Abuja, Owerri, and Lagos, was organized to assess and verify the readiness of outstanding candidates below the age of 16 for admission into tertiary institutions for the 2025/2026 academic session.
Chairman of the Abuja Centre, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, expressed satisfaction with the smooth conduct of the exercise. He explained that the process involved a written test followed by a face-to-face interview to evaluate the candidates’ cognitive and emotional maturity.
“They did the first paper which took about 20 minutes, after which the scripts were marked before they proceeded to the next stages, including the interactive session,” Adedoja stated.
He disclosed that 22 candidates participated in Abuja, while the total number across all centres stood at 176. The JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, is expected to announce the screening results soon.
Senator Mohammed Muntari Dandutse, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, who monitored the Abuja exercise, commended JAMB for providing a platform for young talents to thrive.
“It is important to assess the underage candidates because maturity matters in higher education. This process helps to ensure that only the best and most prepared are admitted,” he said, reaffirming the National Assembly’s support for President Bola Tinubu’s education policies.
Similarly, Chairman of the House Committee on Basic Examination Bodies, Hon. Oboku Oforji, lauded JAMB’s consistency and transparency, noting that the performance of the young candidates reflects Nigeria’s growing educational competitiveness in Africa.
In Owerri, 38 out of 43 shortlisted candidates took part in the screening supervised by Prof. Paulinus Okwelle, Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE). He praised the candidates’ orderly conduct and assured that the exercise followed strict JAMB guidelines.
The Owerri Centre hosted candidates from the South-South and South-East regions.
Although 41,027 candidates initially applied under the exceptional underage category, only 599 scored 80 percent and above. Following further verification, 176 candidates met the full eligibility requirements for the final assessment.
The screening panel included representatives from the Federal Ministry of Education, National Universities Commission (NUC), vice chancellors, and the Gifted School, among others.
Nigeria’s education policy officially allows university admission from age 16, though JAMB’s special screening ensures that only truly exceptional and emotionally ready candidates are considered.
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