In a bold move to widen access to higher education, the Federal Government has approved a comprehensive reform of admission entry requirements into tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, is part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda aimed at promoting inclusive education and empowering Nigerian youths.
Announcing the reform, Dr. Alausa stated that the policy marks a decisive step toward democratizing tertiary education and breaking down barriers that have long excluded capable candidates.
“Every year, over two million candidates sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), yet only about 700,000 gain admission,” he noted. “This imbalance is not due to a lack of ability but to outdated and overly stringent entry requirements that must give way to fairness and opportunity.”
The revised National Guidelines for Entry Requirements into Nigerian Tertiary Institutions are designed to enhance access while maintaining academic integrity. The new framework covers universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and Innovation Enterprise Academies (IEAs) as follows:
- Universities: Minimum of five (5) credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language, obtained in not more than two sittings. Mathematics is mandatory for Science, Technology, and Social Science courses.
- Polytechnics (ND Level): Minimum of four (4) credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language for non-science courses and Mathematics for science-related programmes.
- Polytechnics (HND Level): Minimum of five (5) credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
- Colleges of Education (NCE Level): Minimum of four (4) credit passes, with English Language mandatory for Arts and Social Science courses, and Mathematics required for Science, Vocational, and Technical programmes.
- Colleges of Education (B.Ed Level): Minimum of five (5) credit passes, including English Language and Mathematics, as applicable to the course of study.
- Innovation Enterprise Academies (IEAs): To adopt the same minimum requirements as Polytechnics for the National Diploma (ND) programme. The National Innovation Diploma (NID) is hereby abolished.
Furthermore, the National Industrial Diploma (NID) previously issued by IEAs will be phased out and replaced with the National Diploma (ND) to ensure uniformity, credibility, and better progression pathways for graduates.
The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has commenced the re-accreditation of all IEAs nationwide to align with the new standards, with non-compliant institutions facing de-accreditation.
According to Dr. Alausa, the reform will enable an additional 250,000 to 300,000 students to gain admission into tertiary institutions annually. The initiative is expected to reduce the number of out-of-school youths, strengthen vocational and technical education, and align Nigeria’s tertiary education framework with global standards.
“Our goal is to ensure that every Nigerian youth has a fair chance to learn, grow, and succeed,” the Minister affirmed. “Education remains the most powerful tool for national development, and this reform reflects our unwavering commitment to human capital development under the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
The Federal Government reiterated its dedication to inclusive education and youth empowerment, assuring that ongoing reforms in the education sector are focused on building a generation of skilled, innovative, and globally competitive Nigerians.
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