Only 108 out of approximately 39,000 underage candidates who sat the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) have satisfied the Federal Government’s stringent requirements for possible admission into tertiary institutions.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja while receiving the two highest-scoring candidates and six other outstanding underage candidates in the examination.
The candidates were presented to the minister by the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Segun Aina.
Alausa explained that the screening exercise was introduced to ensure that exceptionally gifted children seeking admission before the stipulated minimum age of 16 possessed not only outstanding academic abilities but also the emotional, psychological and intellectual maturity required for university education.
He disclosed that 2,244,149 candidates registered for the 2026 UTME, while 2,174,396 eventually sat the examination. Of those who participated, approximately 39,000 were below the minimum admission age.
According to the minister, candidates seeking admission before turning 16 were subjected to a series of rigorous assessments to determine their eligibility.
The requirements included scoring a minimum of 320 out of 400 in the UTME, representing 80 per cent, as well as attaining at least 80 per cent in their post-UTME examinations.
They were also required to meet the prescribed 80 per cent threshold in the assessment of their O-level results and undergo screening to establish their psychological, emotional and intellectual readiness for higher education.
Alausa revealed that only 391 underage candidates scored at least 320 marks in the UTME.
Further assessments subsequently reduced the number that met all the requirements to 108.
He described the successful candidates as exceptionally gifted, noting that they represented approximately 0.005 per cent of all candidates who sat the examination.
“You are the geniuses in our society,” the minister told the students, stressing that the government had a responsibility to identify and nurture exceptional talents capable of developing innovative solutions to Nigeria’s challenges and those of the wider world.
The minister clarified that the minimum admission age of 16 was not intended to punish gifted children or prevent them from advancing academically.
Rather, he said the policy was designed to ensure that younger candidates seeking early admission could cope with the academic demands and social realities of university life.
He expressed satisfaction with feedback from the screening exercise, particularly the candidates’ confidence, intellectual capabilities and responses to questions designed to assess their preparedness for tertiary education.
According to him, academic brilliance alone was insufficient to justify early admission, as university education also demands emotional stability and the ability to navigate complex social and intellectual environments.
Alausa urged the successful candidates to see their abilities as a responsibility to society rather than merely an avenue for personal advancement or early admission.
“You are the ones who will change Nigeria and change the world with your innovations,” he said.
He linked the recognition of exceptional young Nigerians to the country’s broader development aspirations, describing its youthful population as a valuable resource that must be properly educated and harnessed.
The minister estimated Nigeria’s population at 220 million, with an average age of 18.5 years, adding that approximately 70 per cent of the population was below 30.
He said the Federal Government’s education reforms were aimed at expanding opportunities for young Nigerians and strengthening the country’s capacity to translate their talents into innovations capable of improving lives.
Alausa congratulated the candidates on behalf of President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Ministry of Education, expressing confidence that their abilities could produce breakthroughs with far-reaching benefits.
The eight recognised candidates, including the two highest scorers in the 2026 UTME, received plaques and certificates from the minister.
Owoeye Daniella Jesudunsin emerged as the examination’s highest-scoring candidate with 372 marks, while Enwere Kingsley Ikenna came second with 370 marks.
