The candidates qualified after a rigorous assessment aimed at determining whether exceptionally gifted children possess not only the academic ability but also the psychological, emotional and intellectual maturity required for higher education.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja while receiving the two highest-scoring candidates and six other outstanding underage candidates in the 2026 UTME. The candidates were presented to him by the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Segun Aina.
Alausa explained that the screening process was designed to identify exceptional academic talent while ensuring that young candidates were adequately prepared for the demands of university education.
According to the minister, 2,244,149 candidates registered for the 2026 UTME, while 2,174,396 eventually sat the examination. Of those who took the test, approximately 39,000 were below the stipulated minimum admission age of 16.
He said underage candidates seeking special consideration for admission were required to meet a series of stringent conditions, beginning with a minimum UTME score of 320 out of 400, equivalent to 80 per cent.
Applicants were also required to attain at least 80 per cent in their post-UTME examinations, meet the prescribed 80 per cent threshold in the assessment of their O’level results and pass a separate screening exercise to establish their readiness for tertiary education.
Alausa disclosed that only 391 underage candidates achieved the minimum UTME score of 320, with further assessments narrowing the number that met all the requirements to 108.
He described the successful candidates as exceptionally gifted, noting that they accounted for approximately 0.005 per cent of all candidates who sat the examination.
“You are the geniuses in our society,” the minister told the candidates, adding that the government had a duty to recognise and nurture outstanding abilities to develop innovators capable of addressing challenges in Nigeria and beyond.
The minister stressed that the minimum admission age of 16 was not intended to restrict gifted children or prevent them from advancing academically. Rather, he said, the policy was designed to ensure that candidates seeking early admission had the maturity needed to cope with the demands of university life.
He said the feedback from the screening exercise had been encouraging, particularly regarding the candidates’ confidence, intellectual capabilities and responses to questions assessing their preparedness for higher education.
According to Alausa, academic excellence alone was insufficient to establish a child’s readiness for university, as tertiary education also requires emotional stability and the ability to manage social interactions and intellectual pressures.
He urged the successful candidates to view their abilities as a responsibility to society, rather than simply an opportunity to gain early admission and advance their personal ambitions.
“You are the ones that will change Nigeria and change the world with your innovations,” he said.
Alausa also highlighted the importance of investing in Nigeria’s young population, describing it as a significant national resource that could drive innovation and development if properly educated and supported.
He estimated Nigeria’s population at about 220 million, with an average age of 18.5 years, and said approximately 70 per cent of the population was below the age of 30.
The minister said the Federal Government’s education reforms were aimed at widening opportunities for young people and strengthening the country’s ability to translate their talents into practical solutions capable of improving lives.
He congratulated the candidates on behalf of President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Ministry of Education, expressing optimism that their abilities could produce innovations with far-reaching benefits.
The eight candidates honoured at the event, including the two highest scorers in the 2026 UTME, received plaques and certificates from the minister.
Owoeye Daniella Jesudunsin emerged as the examination’s highest scorer with 372 marks, followed by Enwere Kingsley Ikenna, who recorded 370.
