Only 108 candidates under the age of 16 have met the Federal Government’s conditions to be considered for admission this year. That’s out of about 39,000 underage candidates who wrote the 2026 UTME.
The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, gave the figures in Abuja this week, while honouring the top scorers of the 2026 UTME.
How 39,000 became 108
| Stage | Candidates |
|---|---|
| Under-16 candidates who wrote the 2026 UTME | About 39,000 |
| Scored 320 or above (minimum for exemption screening) | 391 |
| Passed further assessment | 108 |
The screening looked at UTME, Post-UTME and O’Level performance, and at each candidate’s psychological, emotional and intellectual readiness for university.
Meeting the conditions makes a candidate eligible to be considered. It doesn’t guarantee admission. The normal minimum age for admission remains 16.
Top 2026 UTME scorers
- Owoeye Daniella Jesudunsin had the highest score in the 2026 UTME, 372.
- Enwere Kingsley Ikenna scored 370.
Eight high-performing candidates were honoured in all.
JAMB studying critical-thinking questions
The JAMB Registrar, Professor Segun Aina, said the board has set up a committee to study whether the UTME should test critical thinking and practical life skills, not just recall. That would mean questions on reasoning, decision-making and applying knowledge to real situations.
No decision or timeline has been announced. JAMB says it will wait for the committee’s report.
Other changes for candidates
- Clearer application-status information, so candidates can track their progress.
- A way for candidates who’ve lost access to their registered phone number or email to update them.
- Work with NIMC to fix genuine mismatches in candidates’ personal details. See JAMB reopens NIN alignment service.
The registrar spoke during JAMB’s 2026 Customer Week at its Abuja zonal office.
What underage candidates should do
If you’re under 16 and weren’t among the 108, the simplest route is to write the UTME again when you meet the age requirement. Use the time to strengthen your O’Level results and prepare for a higher score. See options if you missed admission in 2026.
