The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has begun notifying underage candidates who scored 320 and above in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), directing them to proceed to the next stage of assessment at their selected institutions.
JAMB’s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, confirmed the development on Sunday, stating that the affected candidates have met one of the key criteria under the board’s exceptional candidate policy.
According to him, the candidates’ details have already been forwarded to their respective institutions for further screening and admission consideration.
In messages sent to the candidates, JAMB noted that those who surpassed the 80 per cent benchmark in UTME performance would be contacted by their chosen institutions for additional evaluation.
Candidates were also advised to upload their O-level results to the JAMB portal to complete their eligibility process.
The move follows earlier action by the board to withhold
Benjamin had previously clarified that only candidates who will be at least 16 years old by September 30, 2026, are eligible to sit for the UTME, except those considered under the special provision for exceptionally gifted students.
Under this policy, underage candidates must score a minimum of 320 in the UTME and achieve at least 80 per cent in subsequent screening exercises conducted by their chosen institutions.
He added that the arrangement was agreed upon with parents and is designed to ensure that only academically outstanding underage candidates are considered, while maintaining the integrity of the admission process.
JAMB also urged stakeholders to remain patient, noting that results for underage candidates will remain withheld until the screening process is fully concluded.
The policy, approved by the Federal Ministry of Education, aims to ensure that candidates admitted into tertiary institutions possess the required academic ability and maturity.
