(DDM) – In a landmark policy shift, the Federal Government of Nigeria has removed the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination as a compulsory criterion for admission into tertiary institutions across the country, a move designed to broaden access to higher education and reduce systemic barriers faced by millions of young Nigerians.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) reports that the policy, introduced under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, was officially announced by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, as part of ongoing reforms to reposition Nigeria’s education sector for inclusivity, innovation, and national development.
According to the new framework, universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education can now admit students directly using their Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) results, including those issued by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO).
The government explained that the reform was informed by years of public complaints about JAMB’s restrictive admission system, which it described as a major factor limiting the number of qualified candidates gaining entry into higher institutions each year.
Official statistics show that millions of candidates sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) annually, but less than 40 percent secure admission, not necessarily due to poor performance but because of what the government termed “rigid and outdated admission policies.”
Under the revised guidelines, universities are to require a minimum of five credits in relevant subjects, including English Language, obtained in no more than two sittings.
Mathematics remains compulsory only for science, technology, and social science programs, giving flexibility to candidates applying for arts and humanities courses.
For polytechnics, applicants need at least four credits, including English, for non-science programs, while mathematics remains mandatory for science-related disciplines.
At the Higher National Diploma (HND) level, five credits are now required, including English and Mathematics, depending on the program.
Similarly, colleges of education will admit candidates with a minimum of four credits, with English mandatory for arts and social science courses, while mathematics is compulsory for vocational, technical, and science-oriented programs.
The Ministry of Education also announced that innovation enterprise academies must align their admission standards with those of polytechnics, while the National Innovation Diploma (NID) program has been phased out entirely as part of the system overhaul.
Officials emphasized that JAMB and UTME will still operate as alternative admission routes for institutions that wish to use them but will no longer serve as the exclusive gatekeeping mechanism for Nigerian tertiary education.
Minister Alausa described the policy as a “progressive, people-centered reform” aimed at restoring fairness, expanding access, and modernizing Nigeria’s educational framework to reflect global best practices.
He noted that the government’s vision is to ensure that no Nigerian youth is denied higher education “simply because of procedural bottlenecks.”
Reactions have been mixed across academic and student circles. While many educationists have praised the government for democratizing access to higher learning, others warn that eliminating JAMB’s centralized screening could lead to admission inconsistencies and corruption at the institutional level.
Nonetheless, stakeholders agree that the reform marks a turning point in Nigeria’s decades-long struggle to balance quality, access, and fairness in tertiary education.
As the new policy takes effect, universities and regulatory bodies like the National Universities Commission (NUC) are expected to issue detailed admission frameworks in the coming weeks to ensure compliance and transparency.
