The clarification comes amid renewed calls from some stakeholders for a review of the age benchmark for university admissions.
JAMB's Public Communication Adviser, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, defended the policy on Thursday during a virtual dialogue organised by the Education Writers' Association of Nigeria (EWAN).
The session, themed "2026 Admission Policy Review and JAMB Scorecard: A Conversation with the Registrar," examined key issues affecting admissions into Nigerian tertiary institutions.
Policy rooted in education laws
Benjamin dismissed suggestions that the age requirement was an arbitrary decision, explaining that it is anchored in Nigeria's educational framework and long-standing government policies.
"We didn't just wake up one night and say it must be 16 years," he said.
"If you go back and look at the National Council on Education decisions, the Universal Basic Education Commission Act and the National Policy on Education, you will see clearly defined age expectations for primary, secondary and university education."
He noted that the policy aligns with Nigeria's 6-3-3-4 education system, which outlines the expected progression of learners from primary school through tertiary education.
Maturity influences academic success
Benjamin explained that JAMB's position is informed by years of evaluating admission exercises and monitoring student performance across higher institutions.
According to him, the board regularly reviews the admission process to identify challenges and improve policy implementation.
"We operate a system whereby after every admission exercise, we go back to the drawing board and assess the entire process. We look at where the challenges are and come up with policies to address them," he said.
He stressed that age remains an important factor beyond academic ability.
"We have seen over and over again that age continues to play a major role. Beyond academics, education is a serious enterprise. Maturity plays a significant role in who you are, what you want to achieve and how you achieve it," Benjamin added.
Exception for exceptionally gifted candidates
While defending the age requirement, Benjamin clarified that the policy allows room for exceptionally gifted students who demonstrate outstanding academic ability.
"Yes, there are people with peculiar cognitive abilities. That is why there is an exception for gifted candidates. Such candidates must attain a particular threshold of performance before they can be considered for admission below the prescribed age," he explained.
He said the provision was deliberately introduced to ensure highly talented children are not denied opportunities to advance academically.
"We do not want to exclude gifted children. If a candidate demonstrates that he or she belongs to that category, the person will be given the opportunity."
Drawing comparisons with global academic practices, he added:
"Even in other countries, when you see a professor at a very young age, it is because the individual demonstrated exceptional ability. But that does not mean every 12-year-old can simply gain admission into a university."
Foreign university queried Nigerian student's age
Benjamin also recounted an instance where a foreign institution questioned the academic credentials of a Nigerian student because of the student's unusually young age.
"We had a situation where a university in London wrote to us regarding a candidate seeking admission for a master's degree at a particular age. They were surprised and wanted us to explain the policy we were operating because they considered it impossible to have attained such qualifications at that age."
He said JAMB subsequently clarified the circumstances surrounding the student's academic progression.
"We responded and explained the circumstances, and the university was shocked," he said.
Policy to remain in force
Benjamin maintained that JAMB has no plans to abandon the minimum age requirement, stressing that the policy strikes a balance between maintaining educational standards and accommodating exceptional academic talent.
"If, in the future, any institution asks questions about a candidate admitted below the prescribed age, we can explain that the candidate demonstrated exceptional capacity and met the requirements set for gifted students," he said.
The board's position comes as discussions continue among education stakeholders on admission policies, with JAMB insisting that age, maturity and academic readiness remain essential considerations in ensuring students are adequately prepared for the demands of tertiary education.