The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has approved the admission of 85 underage candidates who demonstrated exceptional academic performance and maturity during the 2025 admission process.
According to a statement released on Monday by the Board’s Public Communication Adviser, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, the decision followed a “meticulous evaluation” process aligned with global best practices, where underage admissions are considered rare exceptions rather than the norm.
Benjamin said “After thorough verification and interviews, 85 candidates who met the established criteria have been duly cleared to proceed to their respective institutions and print their JAMB admission letters,”.
JAMB disclosed that out of 2,031,133 candidates who sat for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), a total of 41,027 underage applicants sought special consideration.
From that number, 599 candidates who scored above 80 percent were shortlisted for further scrutiny including verification of school certificates and Post-UTME results.
Following multiple assessment rounds, 182 finalists emerged. After final interviews and vetting, 85 were adjudged fully qualified for tertiary admission under the exceptional policy.
JAMB emphasized that the decision does not amount to a relaxation of standards but a recognition of rare intellectual maturity among a few exceptional candidates.
Benjamin clarified “This exceptional admission policy is not a relaxation of standards,” “It recognises extraordinary intellectual maturity among a few candidates who have demonstrated readiness for tertiary education ahead of the statutory age.”
The Board also announced a special window for any of the 182 finalists who missed the final interview to appeal through the JAMB Support Ticketing System under a new category titled “2025 Underage Complaint.” Each appeal will be assessed on its merit.
In a related development, JAMB granted a two-day grace period, ending Wednesday, October 29, 2025, for candidates who scored 320 and above in the 2025 UTME but were disqualified for failing to upload their O-Level results to do so and notify the Board via the same support system.
Benjamin reaffirmed the Board’s commitment to transparency and merit-based admissions.
According to him “Our mandate is to ensure that every qualified candidate, regardless of age or background, is given a fair chance.”
He added “At the same time, we will continue to uphold the standards that guarantee the integrity of Nigeria’s tertiary education system.”
