FG sets 16 as minimum admission age for tertiary institutions, declares Off-CAPS illegal

The Federal Government has officially declared 16 years as the minimum age requirement for admission into the nation’s tertiary institutions, warning that any attempt to flout this directive will attract sanctions, including prosecution.

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced this on Tuesday while speaking at the opening session of the 2025 Policy Meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Abuja.

The high-level meeting, which brought together heads of tertiary institutions, policymakers, and education stakeholders, aims to set the tone for the new admission cycle.

According to Dr. Alausa, the age limit is part of the government’s broader effort to ensure standards, discipline, and proper academic maturity within Nigeria’s education system.

He stated categorically that “16 years is the officially approved minimum age for entry into any Nigerian university, polytechnic, or college of education, and this is not negotiable.”

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The Minister further sounded a strong warning to institutions admitting candidates outside the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS), describing such actions as illegal. CAPS, introduced by JAMB, is the sole digital platform recognized by the Federal Government for managing admission processes across tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

“Any admission conducted outside CAPS is illegal, null, and void. Heads of institutions who perpetrate or are complicit in such illegal admissions will face full prosecution in accordance with the law,” Alausa warned.

He emphasized that the era of backdoor admissions, age manipulation, and other fraudulent practices is over, assuring Nigerians that the Federal Government will continue to strengthen oversight mechanisms in the sector.

The declaration is expected to shape admission policies across Nigeria’s public and private tertiary institutions for the 2025/2026 academic session and beyond.