The Delta State High Court in Warri has temporarily halted the implementation of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board’s (JAMB) new policy, which sets the minimum admissible age for university admission to be 16 years.
The injunction was granted pending the resolution of a lawsuit filed by John Aikpokpo-Martins, a former Nigerian Bar Association chairman from Warri.
The court’s decision came after JAMB announced on October 16 that starting from August 2025, only candidates aged 16 or older would be eligible for admission into tertiary institutions.
Aikpokpo-Martins filed the suit on behalf of all candidates born between September 1, 2009, and December 31, 2009, who passed the JAMB exams in 2024, challenging the admission board’s directive.
The lawsuit, marked W/311/FHR/2021, names JAMB and Edwin Clark University as the 1st and 2nd respondents, respectively.
Justice Anthony Akpovi, in his ruling, confirmed the grant of all the reliefs sought by the applicant, as shown in a Certified True Copy of the ruling.
The court order restrains JAMB and associated institutions from enforcing the new age requirement until the underlying motion is decided.
The applicant also prayed the court to issue “An order of interim injunction restraining the respondents from withdrawing the admission given to Angel Aikpokpo Martins and/or restricting her rights and privileges and/or preventing her access to school and all educational facilities of the 2nd respondent institution as a student pending the hearing and determination of the originating motion.”
In his ruling, Justice Olotu said, “Reliefs 1 and 2 are hereby granted to preserve and protect the respondents, which is the right of every Nigerian child born on the 1st of September 2009 to the 31st of December, 2009, who wrote and passed JAMB exams in 2024 to remain duly admitted by 1st respondent as it applies to all Nigerian Universities including 2nd respondent and the effect is that the 1st respondent’s circular to Vice Chancellors, Provost, Rectors dated 16/10/24 Ref: JAMB/ADMS/139/V.
“111 is put in abeyance and on hold and the status quo to be maintained is the admission list prior to this circular pending the hearing of the originating motion dated and filed 24/10/24. Reliefs 3(a) and (b) are hereby granted for substituted service by courier service as prayed. Relief 4 for accelerated hearing is also granted.”
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