Education Minister Honors Top UTME Scorers and Young Talents

On October 21, 2026, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, the Minister of Education, and Professor Segun Aina, the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), honored outstanding candidates from the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in Abuja. The ceremony recognized the highest scorers and exceptional candidates under the age of 16, with Alausa urging them to focus on developing practical solutions to societal challenges.

He highlighted the need for young innovators to transform knowledge into impactful products and services. Alausa noted that out of approximately 39,000 underage candidates, only 108 met the stringent admission requirements, having achieved a minimum UTME score of 320 out of 400.

The selection process included assessments of academic performance and readiness for university education. The minister reiterated that the minimum admission age policy aims to ensure candidates possess the necessary maturity for tertiary education while allowing for exceptional cases.