The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has screened 176 underage candidates described as “exceptionally brilliant” for possible admission into Nigerian universities.
Gatekeepers News reports that the screening, held on Wednesday, followed the board’s earlier announcement in August 2025 that it would assess over 500 under-16 candidates who performed outstandingly in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for the 2025/2026 academic session.
The exercise, organised by a special technical committee, was conducted across three centres in Abuja, Lagos, and Owerri in a three-stage process.
Chairman of the JAMB Abuja Centre, Professor Taoheed Adedoja, said the screening involved a two-session written test followed by a face-to-face interview.
He disclosed that 22 candidates participated in Abuja, while 38 were screened in Owerri, adding that the JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, will announce the results at a later date.
The initiative aims to provide a pathway for exceptionally talented students below the minimum admission age of 16 to demonstrate their capacity for higher learning.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, Senator Mohammed Muntari Dandutse, commended JAMB for the initiative, describing it as a platform that recognises brilliance beyond age limits.
“The students can go to any university based on their ability to pass their examination. It is important that they undergo this assessment because of the maturity of focus,” he said.
“This exercise will help identify the best talents and pave the way for the development of this country.”
Similarly, Oboku Oforji, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Examination Bodies, applauded the candidates for their exceptional performance.
“It tells how we are doing in education today. We are very proud of JAMB and encourage them to do more,” he said.
The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Professor Paulinus Okwelle, also praised the board for conducting a transparent and orderly screening process.
Out of 41,027 applicants who registered as exceptionally brilliant underage candidates for the 2025 UTME, only 599 scored 80 percent and above, while others were disqualified for not meeting the required O-Level or Post-UTME criteria.
