By Charles Pemu 
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has granted exceptional admission approval to 85 underage candidates—individuals who will be under the age of 16 by September 2025—following a stringent and exhaustive screening process.
According to a professional statement released by the Board’s Public Communication Adviser, Fabian Benjamin, these 85 candidates were meticulously evaluated and adjudged fully qualified. They have been duly notified to proceed to their respective institutions to finalize their admission and print their official JAMB admission letters.
Meticulous Process Aligns with Global Best Practices
JAMB clarified that the exceptional admission framework is consistent with global best practices, where cases involving underage candidates are treated as rare and stringent exceptions rather than standard procedure.
Out of the 2,031,133 candidates who sought admission through the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), a total of 41,027 applied under the special underage category. The selection process involved several decisive cuts:
Only 599 candidates who achieved a high score of at least 80 percent in the UTME proceeded to further scrutiny, which included verification of their O-Level certificates and post-UTME performance. This rigorous phase resulted in a shortlist of 182 candidates who advanced to the final stage of interviews and documentation. Upon completion, 85 candidates were found to have satisfied every requisite criterion and were subsequently cleared for admission.
Candidates among the 182 finalists who missed the final interview for legitimate reasons are advised to submit a formal appeal through the JAMB Support Ticketing System under the category, “2025 Underage Complaint.” The Board confirmed that such complaints will be individually reviewed and treated strictly based on merit.
In a related development, JAMB has offered a two-day window of grace, expiring Wednesday, October 29, 2025, for candidates who scored 320 and above in the UTME but were previously disqualified due to their failure to upload O-Level results. These candidates must complete the necessary upload and notify the Board immediately via the specified ticketing system.
JAMB concluded by reaffirming its dedication to academic integrity, assuring that its admission process remains credible, transparent, and inclusive while steadfastly upholding the standards of tertiary education in Nigeria.