FG Enforces 18-Year Age Limit for NECO and WAEC Exams

The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced that anyone under 18 will no longer be allowed to take the National Examinations Council (NECO) and West African Examinations Council (WAEC) exams.

This decision was revealed by the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, during his appearance on Channels Television’s ‘Sunday Politics’.

Prof. Mamman stated that WAEC, which manages the West African Senior School Certificate Examination, and NECO, which oversees the Senior School Certificate Examination, will now enforce this age limit for candidates.

He emphasized that this is not a new policy but a reinforcement of existing rules.

“The age limit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), run by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), remains 18 years,” he said.

Mamman further explained that although this year’s admissions might still accept students younger than 18, starting next year, JAMB will strictly enforce the 18-year age requirement for university entry.

He noted that students typically reach about 17 and a half years old by the time they are ready for university, which aligns with this policy.

NECO and WAEC will now require that candidates be at least 18 years old to take their exams, ensuring that students have completed the necessary years of schooling before sitting for these important tests.