The Federal Government has announced a ban on individuals below the age of 18 from taking the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO) exams.
This announcement was made by the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, during an interview on Channels Television’s “Sunday Politics” program.
Prof. Mamman clarified that the same age restriction applies to candidates taking the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). He emphasized that this is not a new policy, but a longstanding directive that WAEC and NECO have been asked to enforce.
“It is 18 years,” Mamman stated. “What we did at the meeting with JAMB in July was to allow this year to serve as a notice for parents. This year, JAMB will admit students below that age, but starting next year, JAMB will insist that anyone applying to a university in Nigeria meets the required age of 18.”
He further explained that if the number of years students spend in school—from early child care through primary and secondary education—is calculated, they would typically reach 17 and a half years by the time they are ready for admission.
Prof. Mamman reiterated that the government is not introducing a new policy, but rather enforcing an existing one.
“Henceforth, NECO and WAEC will not allow underage children to write their examinations. If someone has not spent the requisite number of years at a particular level of study, WAEC and NECO will not permit them to take the exams,” he added.
