NIGERIA: JAMB Grants Exceptional Admission to 85 Underage Candidates

By Ameenat Hamzat, Lagos, Nigeria 

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has granted exceptional admission to 85 underage candidates who met the Board’s stringent evaluation criteria for special consideration in the 2025 admission cycle.

According to a statement signed by Dr Fabian Benjamin, JAMB’s Head of Media, the decision follows a comprehensive screening process designed for candidates under 16 years as of September 2025, who had applied for consideration under the special admission category.

Dr Benjamin explained that out of 2,013,132 applicants who sat for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), 1,427 candidates applied for exceptional admission.

Of these, 599 candidates met the required 80 per cent UTME performance threshold and underwent further scrutiny through their school certificates and Post-UTME records.

Following verification and interviews, 182 finalists were shortlisted, out of which 85 candidates were adjudged qualified and have been cleared to proceed with their admission.

The statement read: “The successful candidates have been duly notified to proceed to their respective institutions to complete the admission process and print their JAMB admission letters.”

JAMB clarified that the policy aligns with global best practices, describing it as an exceptional measure rather than a norm, to ensure fairness while maintaining academic integrity.

Meanwhile, the Board urged the remaining 182 finalist-candidates who missed the final interview to submit a formal request through the JAMB Support Ticketing System under the category titled ‘2025 Underage Complaint’ for individual review.

In a related directive, candidates who scored 320 and above in the UTME but were disqualified due to failure to upload their O’Level results have been given a two-day window, ending October 29, 2025, to rectify the issue via the same platform.

JAMB reaffirmed its commitment to a credible, transparent, and inclusive admission process, emphasising that the Board would continue to uphold academic standards across all levels of tertiary education in Nigeria.