The Federal Government has announced that underage candidates will no longer be allowed to sit for secondary school leaving examinations administered by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO).

Education Minister Prof. Tahir Mamman revealed this during an appearance on Channels Television’s ‘Sunday Politics’ programme on Sunday night.

He emphasized that WAEC and NECO must enforce an 18-year age limit for candidates taking the WASSCE and SSCE exams, respectively.

Prof. Mamman clarified that this is not a new policy but a reinforcement of existing regulations. He stated, “The age limit is 18 years. What we did during our July meeting with JAMB was to allow this year as a transitional period, serving as a notice to parents. JAMB will admit students below the age of 18 this year, but starting next year, JAMB will strictly enforce the 18-year age requirement for university admission in Nigeria.”

He added, “This is not a new policy; it’s a reminder of the regulations that have long been in place. By the time students complete their required years of schooling—from early childhood through primary, junior secondary, and senior secondary education—they will be around 17 and a half years old, which aligns with the 18-year age requirement.”

The Minister also confirmed that NECO and WAEC will no longer permit underage students to take their exams. “If a student has not completed the necessary years at their current level of study, WAEC and NECO will not allow them to sit for the examination.”

Additionally, the age limit for candidates taking the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), administered by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), remains at 18 years.