FG Approves 16 as Minimum Age for Tertiary Education

Tahir Mamman

FG Sets 16 as New Admission Age for Tertiary Institutions

Nigeria's Federal Government sets new admission age for tertiary institutions at 16, despite initial resistance from stakeholders. The decision comes with a compromise, allowing 16-year-old applicants admission this year, while the new law takes effect from 2025.

In an attempt to placate the crowd, the Minister asked, “Are we together?,” but the attendees responded with a resounding “No!” The tension was palpable, and it took the intervention of JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, to restore order to the proceedings.

Prof. Oloyede addressed the objections raised by the participants, explaining that the law mandates children to complete their education up to age 18. He broke down the requirements, emphasizing that students must complete six years of primary school, three years of Junior Secondary School, and three years of Senior Secondary School before being eligible for tertiary education.

Prof. Oloyede reaffirmed the Federal Ministry of Education's stance: any institution admitting students outside the Central Application Process (CAP) would be in violation. 

A stakeholder anonymously expressed disbelief, “It's unthinkable to deny admission to a child who has completed school, passed WAEC and JAMB. How can that be?” However, the minister ultimately yielded to the stakeholders' proposal, agreeing that applicants aged 16 and above would be eligible for admission this year, with the new law taking effect from 2025.