Why we excluded 371-scoring candidate from final vetting for UTME minors – JAMB

Why we excluded 371-scoring candidate from final vetting for UTME minors – JAMB

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has clarified the exclusion of one Kareem Kaamilah Omolarami, an underage candidate who scored 371 in the 2025 UTME, from its final screening for minors.

The education ministry mandates a minimum age of 16 years for entry into tertiary institutions to ensure candidates possess the necessary mental maturity for higher education.

In 2025, a special vetting process was introduced as a rigorous filter, providing a path only for exceptional candidates under 16 who meet extremely high academic benchmarks.

Out of the 41,027 underage candidates who wrote the 2025 UTME under the category, only 176 were confirmed eligible and subjected to a final assessment, which included a written test and a face-to-face interview.