The Federal Government has announced a new enforcement measure that prohibits individuals under the age of 18 from participating in the National Examinations Council (NECO) and West African Examinations Council (WAEC) exams.
This update was shared by the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, during an appearance on Channels Television’s ‘Sunday Politics’ show.
Prof. Mamman explained that the government has instructed both WAEC and NECO to strictly enforce the 18-year age requirement for candidates who wish to take these important exams.
The Minister clarified that this is not a new policy but a reiteration of existing rules. He also mentioned that the age limit for taking the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), remains at 18 years.
He stated, “It is 18 (years). We allowed students below 18 to take the exam this year to inform parents, but from next year, JAMB will require all applicants to be at least 18 years old. This is not a newly introduced policy; it has been in place for a long time.”
Prof. Mamman also noted that if you calculate the number of years students spend in school—from early child care to primary, junior secondary, and senior secondary school—it typically sums up to about 17 and a half years. This means that by the time they are ready for university, they should be at least 18 years old.
In summary, NECO and WAEC will no longer allow underage students to sit for their exams, ensuring that students meet the required age and educational milestones before participating.
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