The Federal Government has approved a far-reaching reform of admission entry requirements for all tertiary institutions across Nigeria, introducing a more flexible and inclusive framework aimed at expanding access to higher education for millions of young Nigerians.
This new policy follows the approval of the National Guidelines for Entry Requirements into Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria, as announced in a statement by Boriowo Folasade, Director of Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education.
According to the statement, the reform, driven by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, is designed to democratize access to tertiary education and empower Nigerian youths, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
> “The policy represents a significant step toward inclusivity and national development by ensuring equitable access to educational opportunities,” the ministry stated.
Dr. Alausa explained that the reform became necessary after years of restrictive admission policies that had prevented many qualified candidates from gaining entry into tertiary institutions, despite meeting academic standards.
He noted that while over two million candidates participate in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) each year, only about 700,000 are admitted — a gap he attributed to outdated and rigid entry requirements rather than a lack of competence.
> “This imbalance must give way to fairness and opportunity. Our goal is to ensure that capable and deserving candidates are not denied education because of obsolete policies,” Dr. Alausa emphasized.
Under the new guidelines, admission requirements have been reviewed and standardized across universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and Innovation Enterprise Academies (IEAs), while maintaining quality and academic integrity.
Revised Entry Requirements
Universities: Minimum of five (5) credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language, in not more than two sittings.
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) credits, including English Language and Mathematics.
Colleges of Education (NCE level): Minimum of four (4) credits. English is compulsory for Arts and Social Sciences, while Mathematics is required for Science, Vocational, and Technical programmes.
Colleges of Education (B.Ed level): Minimum of five (5) credits, including English Language and Mathematics, depending on the course of study.
Innovation Enterprise Academies (IEAs): To adopt the same entry requirements as polytechnics for National Diploma (ND) programmes.
Key Institutional Changes
The government also announced the abolition of the National Innovation Diploma (NID) previously awarded by IEAs. It will now be replaced with the National Diploma (ND) to ensure uniformity and strengthen credibility across technical and vocational institutions.
In line with this, the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has been directed to re-accredit all IEAs nationwide under the new ND framework. Institutions that fail to meet the new accreditation standards risk losing their approval.
Dr. Alausa revealed that this comprehensive reform could enable an additional 250,000 to 300,000 students to gain admission into tertiary institutions each year.
> “Our young people are the heartbeat of this nation. This reform ensures that every Nigerian youth has a fair chance to learn, grow, and succeed. We are equipping them with the education and skills needed to realize their full potential and contribute meaningfully to national progress,” he said.
The Federal Government reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to inclusive education, human capital development, and youth empowerment, describing the reform as a cornerstone of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for education and national transformation.
