Universities React as FG Sets 150 Cut-Off Mark & 16 Years Minimum Admission Age for 2025!

The pursuit of independence by public tertiary institutions in Nigeria faced another setback yesterday as the federal government, the main funder and overseer of these schools, established a universal admission criterion that set the minimum entry age at 16 years.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), a government agency, also increased the minimum cut-off scores for university admissions, elevating them from 120 to 150 for the 2025/2026 academic year.

For Colleges of Nursing, the admission threshold was set at 140, while Polytechnics and Colleges of Education remained at 100.

This decision, made during the 2025 Policy Meeting on Admissions in Abuja, represented a united effort by stakeholders to emphasize transparency, equity, and academic quality in the nation’s higher education system.

By establishing a higher standard, JAMB encourages tertiary institutions to elevate their expectations and uphold rigorous quality in their academic programs.

However, many stakeholders raised concerns about the role of institutional autonomy in this policy adjustment, particularly as there is a growing call for tertiary institutions to have independence regarding their admission processes.

Additionally, it was previously agreed that tertiary institutions should have the authority to determine their admission procedures and that cut-off scores should be set by each institution’s Senate rather than JAMB.

Efforts by Vice-Chancellors to maintain the 140 cut-off mark approved in 2024 were unsuccessful, as both the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, insisted the standard must be elevated to correspond with ongoing developments in the nation’s education system.

The announcement also confirmed a minimum entry age of 16 for Nigeria’s higher education institutions, concluding the debate over an admission age of 18 for potential applicants.

During the event, it was revealed that the top three most preferred first-choice universities for candidates in the 2025/2026 academic session were Lagos State University (LASU), University of Lagos (UNILAG), and University of Ilorin (UNILORIN).

Back in 2014, the federal government, in collaboration with JAMB and other stakeholders, set the admission cut-off scores for universities and polytechnics at 180 and 150, respectively.

In a meeting held in 2017, chaired by then Education Minister Prof. Adamu Adamu, the cut-off marks were lowered to 120 for universities and 100 for polytechnics and Colleges of Education.

The examination body clarified that achieving the cut-off mark does not guarantee admission, as institutions will admit students based on a descending order of their scores.

Different opinions have emerged from stakeholders regarding the cut-off scores for tertiary institutions.

Some supported the new minimum cut-off score, while others contended that it reflects a decline in educational standards.

According to Okezie Aloy, the Rector of Abia College of Health Sciences and Management Technology, this situation indicates that the Nigerian education system has deteriorated.

Aloy expressed disappointment that at a time when the country should strive to enhance its educational standards, it is instead lowering cut-off marks.

“If you consider the cut-off mark for universities, 150 implies an average score of less than 50 in each of the four subjects, which is below 50 percent, whereas 100 for polytechnics equates to an average of merely 25 in each subject—far from a passing mark.

“It is unfortunate that we have shifted our focus to numerical discussions instead of addressing the underlying issues. We regret to acknowledge that the Nigerian education system is in decline. Attending university can be embarrassing, and the challenges in polytechnic education are significant. The individuals admitted at these scores—what can they accomplish? Many can’t even write their names.”

Aloy expressed concern, stating, “Students achieve A’s in their Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), but those are not their true results. The reality is that the quality of education is declining, which is a very serious issue. Today, we are only discussing how to further degrade that standard.”

Likewise, Prof. Samuel Nzotta, Vice-Chancellor of Amadens University in Abia State University, linked the 150 cut-off mark for universities to the disappointing performances by candidates in this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

Nzotta mentioned that many vice chancellors recognize the poor performance of candidates, and raising the cut-off mark any higher would exclude a significant number of students from pursuing higher education.

Prof. Philemon Amanze, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics) of Babcock University, believes the cut-off mark is appropriate as it will increase access to tertiary education.

“We’ve observed the various schools present here. Some institutions have already established their cut-off marks. For instance, my university has maintained a cut-off of 170 for many years and cannot reduce it further, regardless of today’s discussions. Each university understands what is best for it; in my view, the decision is suitable and serves merely as an entry requirement,” Amanze remarked.

Dr. Ode Isaac, Deputy Rector of the Nigerian Army College of Environmental Sciences in Markudi, Benue State, also stated that the cut-off mark is reasonable.

“We lowered the cut-off for polytechnics to attract students, as this is a significant challenge for the schools. We compete for students from all directions.”

During the announcement of 16 as the minimum age for prospective undergraduates, the federal government cautioned that any admissions processed outside of the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) would be deemed illegal, with legal repercussions for the offenders.

“This policy decision strikes a balance between cognitive maturity and academic readiness. The age of 16 is non-negotiable,” said the minister.

However, Alausa indicated that exceptions could be made for exceptionally talented children who have made rapid educational progress.

He warned institutions against trying to bypass the rule by altering age records, emphasizing that such actions would lead to penalties.

The minister also introduced new strategies aimed at combating examination malpractices, which he referred to as a ‘cancer’ that undermines merit and diminishes confidence in Nigeria’s education system.

Alausa announced the creation of a Central Examination Malpractice Unit within the Federal Ministry of Education, which will be led by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Abel Enitan.

He noted that this unit will function as a national repository for documenting and reporting malpractice incidents across all educational levels.

“This central database will be available to all institutions. We hope that this will diminish the likelihood of engaging in malpractice, as offenders will face appropriate legal consequences under the Exam Malpractices Act,” the minister stated.

Thus, Alausa cautioned universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education nationwide against conducting illegal admissions.

He stated, “Any admission processed outside CAPS, regardless of motive, is illegal. Both the institutions and the candidates involved will be held responsible.

“Possible penalties include the revocation of institutional assets and legal action against culpable officials or governing council members.”

CAPS, introduced in 2017, automates the admission process to remove human intervention and bureaucratic obstacles.

He clarified that while the academic boards of each institution bear the responsibility for initiating admissions, the examination body is tasked with overseeing and regulating the procedure to ensure fairness and equity.

In announcing the leading institutions, the JAMB head identified other highly requested universities, including: Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (4th), Nnamdi Azikiwe University (5th), University of Ibadan (6th), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (7th), University of Benin (8th), Obafemi Awolowo University (9th), and Federal University, Lafia (10th).

In the meantime, JAMB has expressed concerns over the results of one Chinedu Okeke, recognized as the top candidate in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME. JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, made this statement on Tuesday during the 2025 policy conference of the Board in Abuja.

Oloyede revealed that Okeke, who hails from Anambra, achieved the highest score of 375 in the examinations.

However, the JAMB head noted that the Board uncovered some irregularities concerning Okeke, who applied for Mechanical Engineering at the University of Lagos.

According to information from JAMB, it was found that Okeke had been accepted to study Medicine a year prior at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He stated that JAMB contacted UNN for clarification about the candidate, and the institution confirmed that Okeke is enrolled there and performing well.

Commenting on the situation, JAMB Public Communications Advisor, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, mentioned that the Board is suspicious of potential misconduct.

“The regulations do not permit a student to enroll in two programs simultaneously, and as an undergraduate, he holds an advantage over the other candidates in the examinations.

“In his records, he asserted he is from the Southeast, while another record indicates that he is from Lagos State. We have reason to believe that he may be involved in examination malpractice,” Benjamin stated.

The Board also reported that John Ayuba from Gombe State secured the second position in the examinations with a score of 374, while Olayinka Jimoh from Kwara State placed third with a score of 373.

Additional high scorers include Ayibo Roberts from Rivers, Chibueze Omonugbo from Enugu, Tunmise Olawepo from Kwara, and Leslie Afinotan from Delta, all achieving scores of 373.

The list of top scorers is further comprised of Chukwuemeka Azoyenime from Delta, Emmanuel Oyebode from Ogun, and Cecil Omigie from Edo, all scoring 372 in the examinations.

Additionally, data presented by JAMB during its 2025 policy conference indicated that Computer-Based Test Centres in Imo and Anambra states were the top locations caught for fingerprinting fraud.

In total, around 19 centres were found guilty across the country, with six in Anambra, four in Imo, one each in Abia and Edo, two centres in Kano, and one in each of Ebonyi, Delta, Kaduna, Rivers, and Enugu.

During his presentation, Oloyede also pointed out that impostors employed albinos to facilitate image bending and remote uploads, among other methods.