The Delta State High Court in Warri has issued an interim order restraining the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) from enforcing its recent directive setting a minimum admissible age of 16 years for university admissions.
This ruling will stand pending the hearing and resolution of a motion challenging the directive, filed against the board.
JAMB had previously announced on October 16 that only candidates who would turn 16 by August 2025 would qualify for admission to tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
The directive followed a Ministry of Education policy recommending 18 years as the minimum age for university admission, although JAMB made an exception for students in the 2024/2025 academic session.
John Aikpokpo-Martins, former Nigerian Bar Association chairman in Warri, initiated legal action against JAMB and Edwin Clark University as the first and second respondents, respectively.
Acting on behalf of candidates born between September 1 and December 31, 2009, who passed the 2024 JAMB exams, Aikpokpo-Martins filed the suit to contest the new age restriction.
In his Thursday ruling, Justice Anthony Akpovi granted the applicant’s relief.
The order blocks JAMB from enforcing its circular titled “Admission of Candidates with Minimum Admissible Age of 16 years” issued to all Nigerian universities.
Aikpokpo-Martins further requested an interim injunction to prevent JAMB from withdrawing admission from his daughter, Angel Aikpokpo-Martins, or limiting her access to educational facilities at Edwin Clark University pending the full hearing of the motion.
Justice Akpovi ordered that “Reliefs 1 and 2 are hereby granted to preserve and protect the rights of every Nigerian child born between September 1, 2009, and December 31, 2009, who wrote and passed JAMB exams in 2024, to remain admitted by the 1st respondent.”
The judge also granted an accelerated hearing and approval for substituted service.
The ruling temporarily places JAMB's circular in abeyance, maintaining the status quo of the admission list before the circular was issued, pending further court proceedings.
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