The Federal Government has announced a new directive prohibiting individuals under the age of 18 from participating in examinations conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO) and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, articulated this policy during an appearance on Channels Television’s ‘Sunday Politics’ program.
Prof. Mamman clarified that this directive is not a new policy but rather a reaffirmation of existing regulations.
He emphasized that WAEC, responsible for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination, and NECO, which oversees the Senior School Certificate Examination, are now mandated to enforce this age requirement strictly.
The minister further explained that the age limit for candidates taking the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), administered by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), also remains at 18 years.
He noted that while students under 18 may be admitted this year, starting next year, JAMB will enforce the age requirement more rigorously.
Prof. Mamman highlighted that the educational trajectory in Nigeria typically leads students to be around 17 and a half years old by the time they are ready for university admission, making the 18-year age requirement reasonable.
He reiterated that NECO and WAEC will not permit underage candidates to sit for their examinations, ensuring that only those who have completed the requisite number of years in their educational journey are eligible.
