In a significant ruling, the Delta State High Court in Warri has issued a temporary restraining order against the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) from enforcing its new policy that sets 16 as the minimum age for admission into Nigerian universities. This order is to remain in place until a further hearing on the motion filed against the board.
The directive from JAMB, issued on October 16, 2024, outlined that only students who would be 16 years old by August 2025 would be eligible for university admission. The directive aligns with an updated policy from Nigeria’s Ministry of Education, which sets 18 as the minimum age for entry into tertiary institutions. However, JAMB made an exception for students seeking admission in the 2024/2025 session.
Dissatisfied with the age restriction, John Aikpokpo-Martins, a former chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association’s Warri branch, brought a case against JAMB. Representing candidates born between September 1, 2009, and December 31, 2009, who successfully passed JAMB exams in 2024, Aikpokpo-Martins argued that the policy infringes on the educational rights of these students. The suit, numbered W/311/FHR/2021, lists JAMB and Edwin Clark University as respondents.
In his Thursday ruling, Justice Anthony Akpovi upheld Aikpokpo-Martins’ request, effectively pausing the policy’s implementation. According to a Certified True Copy (CTC) obtained by Sunday PUNCH, the court’s decision allows all candidates who passed the 2024 JAMB exams within the specified age range to proceed with their admissions without restriction.
The court also issued an interim injunction to prevent the respondents from nullifying the admission of Angel Aikpokpo Martins, a student affected by the policy, and to ensure she retains full access to educational facilities at Edwin Clark University.
Justice Akpovi emphasized the rights of affected students, stating, “Reliefs 1 and 2 are hereby granted to preserve and protect the respondents, which is the right of every Nigerian child born on the 1st of September 2009 to the 31st of December, 2009, who wrote and passed JAMB exams in 2024 to remain duly admitted by 1st respondent as it applies to all Nigerian Universities including 2nd respondent.”
The court has ordered that the original admission lists, prior to JAMB’s October 16 circular, be maintained until further notice.
Does it means that 16 years can seat for the jamb 2025/2026
No, minimum age is still 18yrs
Can 16 years old write jamb
No (｡•́︿•̀｡) only 18+ are eligible of writing UTME next year
The new minister of education has reversed the age limit.
God!
This man sef ehnn
Can I write jamb at the age of 16 in 2025
please i would like to ask if taking the jamb at 16 in 2025 is prohibited
Does this mean that those who will turn 16 from September 1st to December 31st 2025 will be given admission by JAMB?
if i am 15 can i register for jamb this year
Me too
Basically every student has the right to be given admission, for jamb to be restricting this definitely it’s against the law, we student below 15 should be given a chance, plus what’s the difference between age 15 and 16 infact anyone should be able to write jamb, Jamb should not be working based on age because that’s total discrimination. We should be given every write to write jamb. Some students that are age 14 15 knows what they are doing and for jamb to put in these policy it’s absurd because what do you expect us to do for years at home, eventually some might not be as intelligent again because they are no longer in school and were not given the chance, on behalf of every student who jamb claims to be underaged, these policy of 16 and above won’t work and it should be null and void.
I am with you, and seriously, people are mocking others because of this underage issue.