By Adeola Kunle
The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, has disclosed that only 108 out of approximately 39,000 candidates below the age of 16 who sat the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) met the requirements for exceptional consideration for admission into tertiary institutions.
Alausa made this known on Wednesday in Abuja during a ceremony where he and the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Segun Aina, recognised the examination's highest-scoring candidates and other outstanding underage students.
The minister explained that although about 39,000 candidates below the prescribed minimum admission age participated in the examination, only 391 attained the required score of 320 out of 400 marks, representing 80 per cent. Subsequent screening exercises further reduced the number of eligible candidates to 108.
He emphasised that the assessment process was designed to establish whether exceptionally gifted young Nigerians possessed the academic competence and emotional and psychological maturity required to succeed in university education.
According to him, candidates seeking special consideration were required to meet specified performance standards in their Senior School Certificate examinations and post-UTME assessments. They were also subjected to evaluations of their intellectual capacity, emotional stability and psychological preparedness for higher education.
Alausa clarified that the Federal Government's policy setting 16 years as the minimum admission age was intended to ensure that students were sufficiently mature to handle the academic, social and personal demands of university life.
He, however, noted that the policy permits exceptional consideration for exceptionally talented candidates who fulfil all the stipulated conditions.
The minister stressed that an impressive UTME score alone was insufficient to qualify an underage candidate for admission, as the screening process also examined the student's overall readiness for tertiary education.
Commending the successful candidates, Alausa praised their intellectual depth, confidence and ability to communicate effectively during the assessment exercise.
He disclosed that JAMB Registrar, Professor Segun Aina, who participated in the screening process, was greatly impressed by the candidates' performance and the quality of their responses to the questions posed to them.
According to the minister, the registrar was particularly struck by the candidates' level of intelligence, confidence and composure in addressing the screening questions.
Addressing the students, Alausa described them as exceptional talents whose abilities could contribute significantly to Nigeria's development and the advancement of humanity.
He urged them to look beyond the pursuit of academic qualifications and focus on using their knowledge to develop practical solutions to challenges confronting society.
The minister maintained that Nigeria needed young people capable of translating their intellectual abilities into innovations, research, entrepreneurship, useful products and services that would improve livelihoods, strengthen industries and create opportunities for others.
He encouraged the candidates to recognise the responsibility that comes with their exceptional abilities and apply their talents to solving problems on a national and global scale.
Alausa reiterated that the young achievers represented an important resource for the country's future, adding that nurturing their potential would help strengthen Nigeria's capacity for innovation and sustainable development.
The ceremony also featured the recognition of the best-performing candidates in the 2026 UTME, alongside other outstanding students who distinguished themselves despite being below the minimum admission age.
Adeola Kunle
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