The official age of 16 set by the government is not negotiable
The Federal Government has officially pegged the minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions at 16 years, declaring any admission outside the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) illegal.
Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa announced the policy on Tuesday during the opening session of the JAMB Policy Meeting in Abuja. “The official age of 16 set by the government is not negotiable,” he said. He also warned institutional heads against admission fraud, stating that “any admission conducted outside of CAPS would be illegal and perpetrators would be prosecuted.”
The minister emphasised strict enforcement, adding that heads of institutions involved in irregular admissions would face legal action. This move reverses previous discussions on raising the threshold to 18.
The policy aims to standardise entry into tertiary education and curb under-age enrolment concerns. Further implementation details and compliance mechanisms are expected as the academic year approaches.