Tunji Alausa, Nigeria’s new Minister of Education, has overturned the recent policy setting 18 as the minimum age for tertiary education admissions.
Alausa, who assumed office after a cabinet reshuffle by President Bola Tinubu in October, announced the change on Tuesday, addressing concerns raised about the age limit.
The 18-year age policy, introduced by former Education Minister Tahir Mamman in July, was set to take effect in 2025. It aimed to ensure that secondary school graduates are mature enough to handle the demands of higher education. However, it sparked debate, with stakeholders arguing that it could unfairly prevent gifted younger students from entering tertiary institutions.
Alausa stated that the policy is “unsustainable” and would counter the government’s efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children.
He confirmed that the age limit would be reset to 16, with exceptions for exceptionally talented students who meet admission standards earlier.
Under the earlier policy, students who had not completed the required years in primary and secondary education were also barred from taking O’level exams, a provision that Alausa indicated would no longer apply.