The Federal Government mentioned solely 108 out of roughly 39,000 underage candidates who sat the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) have met the necessities for attainable admission into tertiary establishments.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja whereas receiving the 2 highest-scoring UTME candidates and 6 excellent underage candidates offered by the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Segun Aina.
Alausa mentioned 2,244,149 candidates registered for the 2026 UTME, whereas 2,174,396 sat the examination. Approximately 39,000 of those that took the examination have been under the minimal admission age of 16.
He defined that underage candidates in search of exemption from the age requirement needed to meet stringent tutorial and maturity criteria, together with scoring no less than 320 out of 400 within the UTME and a minimal of 80 per cent of their post-UTME examinations.
JAMB had additionally stipulated that candidates should attain no less than 80 per cent of their O’Level outcomes, equal to 24 factors out of 30, in a single sitting.
Combining WAEC and NECO outcomes will not be permitted, whereas candidates should meet the topic necessities for his or her meant programs.
Those who fulfill the preliminary benchmarks endure additional evaluation by the National Committee on Underage Admission, which evaluates their psychological, emotional and mental readiness for college training outdoors the usual Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS).
According to Alausa, solely 391 underage candidates scored no less than 320 within the UTME, with additional assessments narrowing the quantity that met the necessities to 108.
He described the profitable candidates as exceptionally gifted, representing roughly 0.005 per cent of those that sat the examination.
“You are the geniuses in our society,” the minister informed the scholars, urging them to make use of their talents to develop improvements and options to Nigeria’s challenges.
Alausa mentioned the minimal admission age coverage was not meant to disclaim gifted kids instructional alternatives however to make sure that youthful candidates possessed the maturity required for greater training.
He added that officers have been impressed by the candidates’ confidence, mental capability and responses in the course of the screening train.
The minister urged the profitable candidates to see their training as a possibility to contribute to nationwide growth and congratulated them on behalf of President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Ministry of Education.
Among these recognised have been Owoeye Daniella Jesudunsin, who scored 372, and Enwere Kingsley Ikenna, who scored 370. All eight candidates acquired plaques and certificates from the minister.
UPDATE NEWS:
Nigerians can now make investments ₦2.5 million on premium domains and revenue about ₦17-₦25 million. All earnings paid in US Dollars. Rather than marvel,
click here to find out how it works.
