The Federal Government has approved only 108 candidates out of approximately 39,000 underage students who sat the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for further consideration for admission into tertiary institutions after a rigorous screening exercise.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced the outcome on Wednesday in Abuja while receiving the two highest-scoring candidates and six other outstanding underage candidates presented by the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Segun Aina.
According to Alausa, the screening was designed to determine whether exceptionally gifted children had the academic ability and emotional, psychological and intellectual maturity required for university education.
He explained that 2,244,149 candidates registered for the 2026 UTME, while 2,174,396 eventually took the examination. Approximately 39,000 of those who sat the examination were below the minimum admission age of 16 years.
Under the screening requirements, candidates seeking consideration for admission before reaching the prescribed age had to score at least 320 out of 400 in the UTME, equivalent to 80 per cent.
They were also required to obtain a minimum of 80 per cent in their post-UTME examinations and meet the stipulated threshold in the assessment of their Ordinary Level results. In addition, they had to undergo screening to determine their psychological, emotional and intellectual readiness for university education.
Alausa disclosed that only 391 underage candidates scored 320 marks or above in the UTME. Further assessments reduced the number that met the screening requirements to 108.
The minister described the successful candidates as exceptionally gifted, noting that they represented approximately 0.005 per cent of those who sat the examination.
“You are the geniuses in our society,” he told the students, adding that the government had a responsibility to identify and nurture exceptional talents capable of developing solutions to Nigeria’s challenges and contributing to global progress.
Alausa maintained that the minimum admission age of 16 was not intended to discourage gifted children or prevent them from advancing academically. Rather, he said, the policy was meant to ensure that younger candidates were adequately prepared for the demands of university life.
He added that feedback from the screening exercise indicated that the successful candidates demonstrated confidence, intellectual ability and the capacity to respond to questions designed to assess their readiness for higher education.
The minister stressed that outstanding examination results alone could not determine whether a child was ready for university admission. According to him, tertiary education also requires emotional stability and the ability to cope with its social and intellectual demands.
He urged the successful candidates to use their abilities for the benefit of society instead of viewing their academic achievements only as a means of gaining early admission or securing personal advancement.
“You are the ones that will change Nigeria and change the world with your innovations,” he said.
Linking the development to Nigeria’s long-term prospects, Alausa said the country’s youthful population offered an opportunity to drive innovation, provided young people received appropriate education and support.
He estimated Nigeria’s population at 220 million, with an average age of 18.5 years, and said about 70 per cent of the population was below 30 years.
The minister said the Federal Government’s education reforms were aimed at expanding opportunities for young Nigerians and strengthening the country’s ability to translate their talents into practical solutions that could improve lives.
He also congratulated the candidates on behalf of President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Ministry of Education, expressing confidence that their abilities could produce innovations with significant benefits for the country and beyond.
At the ceremony, the eight recognised candidates received plaques and certificates in recognition of their performance. The group comprised the two highest-scoring candidates in the 2026 UTME and six other underage candidates who met the screening requirements.
Owoeye Daniella Jesudunsin emerged as the highest-scoring candidate with 372 marks, while Enwere Kingsley Ikenna placed second with 370 marks.
The screening outcome highlights the distinction between achieving a high score in a national examination and meeting the additional requirements for admission consideration as an underage candidate. The 108 candidates have met the stated screening criteria, but their eligibility for possible admission remains subject to the applicable admission requirements of their chosen institutions.
