FG Sets 16 as Minimum Admission Age for Universities, Declares Off-CAPS Admissions Illegal
Federal Government declares 16 years the lowest legal age for higher institution admission in Nigeria.
Policy now mandatory for universities, polytechnics and colleges nationwide, with violators facing prosecution.
The Federal Government has officially established 16 years as the minimum age requirement for admission into Nigeria’s tertiary institutions, declaring the policy non-negotiable and binding on all universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education nationwide.
The announcement was made on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, during the annual Policy Meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) held in Abuja.
Dr. Alausa emphasized that in the future, no candidate below the age of 16 will be eligible for admission into any higher institution across the country. He warned that any violation of the age policy or attempt to admit students outside the JAMB-regulated Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) would be treated as an illegal act.
“Admissions conducted outside CAPS are illegal and will be prosecuted,” the Minister stated. “Heads of institutions found circumventing this platform or engaging in admission fraud will also face legal consequences.”
The move formalizes a long-standing debate over appropriate age requirements for tertiary education. The previous Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, had directed JAMB and higher institutions in early 2024 to halt the admission of candidates under the age of 18. However, that directive was later reversed after widespread objections from key stakeholders in the education sector.
At the July 2024 JAMB Policy Meeting, attended by vice-chancellors, rectors, registrars, and principal officers, a consensus was reached that 16 years would be a more realistic and acceptable age benchmark for admission. The decision came after deliberations highlighted that many candidates complete their secondary education before turning 18, and barring them from further studies would be counterproductive.
Dr. Alausa’s pronouncement on July 8, 2025, marks the formal adoption of that 16-year minimum as federal policy, laying to rest previous ambiguity.
Beyond age compliance, the Minister issued a stern warning against backdoor admissions and violations of the CAPS system, which JAMB uses to regulate and monitor all tertiary admissions in Nigeria.
He said institutions must process all candidates strictly through CAPS or risk facing prosecution. “No institution has the right to offer admission or bypass CAPS unilaterally. It is the sole legal gateway for tertiary admission in Nigeria,” Alausa said.
The CAPS platform was introduced by JAMB in 2017 to curb admission racketeering, improve transparency, and standardize the admissions process across all institutions. Yet, despite its implementation, cases of institutions offering admissions outside the platform continue to surface.
The Minister’s warning signals the government’s intent to clamp down on admission fraud, a persistent issue that has undermined credibility and access in Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
Although many institutions have already begun aligning with the 16-year threshold in practice, the formalization is expected to prompt new compliance reviews and revisions to admission criteria, particularly in private universities and polytechnics.
Education policy analysts welcomed the decision as a step toward standardization but also cautioned institutions to enhance guidance counseling and provide age-appropriate academic pathways to accommodate younger students better.
