The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has announced the abolition of the 18-year minimum age requirement for admission into tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
The announcement was made on Tuesday, November 5, during his inaugural ministerial briefing in Abuja.
Alausa also hinted that his administration might soon undertake a review of Nigeria’s education policy to address current challenges and improve outcomes in the sector.
In addressing related issues, the Minister confirmed that there will be no reversal of the Federal Government’s recent decision to void over 22,700 degree certificates obtained by Nigerians from “fake” universities in neighboring countries, including Togo and Benin Republic. He emphasized that the crackdown on unaccredited institutions is part of efforts to uphold educational standards and protect the integrity of Nigerian qualifications.
Alausa also stressed the importance of practical education as a solution to Nigeria’s unemployment crisis, suggesting that tertiary institutions should focus on producing graduates with job-ready skills rather than merely increasing graduate numbers each year.
