Some underage candidates seeking university admission in 2026 scored as high as 362 out of 400 in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), Education Minister Tunji Alausa has said.
Alausa said on Saturday that 108 candidates met the requirements for university admission out of 39,124 underage applicants. The figures come after the government lowered the minimum admission age from 18 to 16 in November 2024.
108 candidates meet admission requirements
Alausa said reversing the 18-year minimum admission age was one of his first decisions after becoming education minister in November 2024.
The revised policy restored the minimum age to 16 and allowed exceptionally younger candidates to demonstrate their readiness for university education.
Of the 39,124 underage candidates who applied in 2026, only 108 met the admission requirements, the minister said.
The ages of the successful candidates were not disclosed. Also, the universities they applied to were not identified.
Alausa backs admission access for gifted children
The minister said the successful candidates could become doctors, engineers, scientists and innovators, adding that age alone should not prevent gifted children from pursuing higher education.
“These are our future doctors, engineers, scientists and innovators. Their brilliance should never be held back by age alone,” he said.
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Alausa linked the policy to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for Education, saying the government was committed to recognising talent, rewarding excellence and giving Nigerian children opportunities to succeed.
“Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR’s Renewed Hope Agenda for Education, we remain committed to recognising talent, rewarding excellence and giving every Nigerian child the opportunity to thrive,” he said.
He congratulated the successful candidates and expressed optimism about their futures and Nigeria’s prospects.
“To these brilliant young minds, congratulations! Your future is bright, and so is Nigeria’s.”
WHAT READERS SHOULD KNOW
Meeting the requirements reported by the minister does not necessarily mean the 108 candidates have secured admission or enrolled in a university.
The 2026 figures cover 39,124 underage candidates who applied for university admission, of whom 108 met the requirements, Education Minister Tunji Alausa said. This means the successful candidates account for about 0.28 per cent of the applicants.
The admission age policy changed in November 2024, when Alausa reversed the minimum age from 18 to 16. The change also allowed exceptionally younger candidates to show they were ready for university education.
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