The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has introduced a mock version of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination for candidates under the age of 16.
JAMB’s Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, clarified that the mock UTME is not intended for university admission but as a trial to assess the capabilities of younger candidates.
He made this announcement during a meeting with media executives in Lagos on Sunday. He also revealed that the 2025 UTME will take place on March 8, 2025.
“We are starting the sale of forms on the 31st of January till 5th of March. There will be a mock exam on the 23rd of February and on the 8th of March there will be UTME,” said Oloyede.
Oloyede highlighted that this year’s mock exam is designed for trial testing only, specifically for those who are underage and would not be eligible for admission into universities, polytechnics, or colleges of education due to their age.
To be eligible for the actual UTME and secure admission, candidates must be 16 years old or older by September 30 of the admission year.
For those who do not intend to seek admission in 2025 but are interested in gaining experience with the Computer-Based Test, they can register for the mock exam as a trial.
He also shared that the sale of Direct Entry application forms will begin on March 10, with e-PIN vending starting on April 7.
Regarding fees, Oloyede stated that candidates opting for the mock UTME will pay N8,200, while those choosing only the UTME (without the mock exam) will pay N7,200. Underage candidates participating solely in the trial-testing mock exam or Direct Entry candidates will pay N5,700.
Oloyede further emphasized that the 16-year age requirement for UTME registration will be strictly enforced this year, although exceptionally gifted candidates under the age of 16 may still qualify.
These candidates must score at least 280 in the UTME and demonstrate outstanding performance in their senior secondary certificate and post-UTME exams.
“The policy meeting on admission adopted 16 years as the minimum for 2024 admission. JAMB tried to assist by extending the date to accommodate more candidates, but we were taken to court to reverse the extension to 16 years,” Oloyede explained.
In a related development, the former Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, had announced last year that only candidates aged 18 and above would be admitted into Nigerian tertiary institutions.
This decision faced significant backlash, leading the Federal Government to reverse it. Mamman’s successor, Dr. Tunji Alausa, suspended the 18-year age limit for university admission in November 2024.
Lastly, Oloyede noted that for the 2025 UTME, 870 computer-based test centres have been screened and provisionally approved, an increase from the 747 centres that were approved for last year’s exam.
