The Federal Government has officially removed the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) requirement for admission into Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE) programmes and selected National Diploma (ND) agriculture-related courses across the country.
Key Highlights:
- Federal Government removes UTME requirement for NCE admissions
- also affects ND Agriculture and agriculture-related programmes
- Candidates must still register through JAMB CAPS platform
- Decision aims to expand access to tertiary education
- Government targets improved enrollment in education and agriculture sectors
- New policy follows stakeholders’ meeting led by Education Minister Tunji Alausa
- Existing minimum admission requirements remain valid
The announcement was made by the Federal Ministry of Education in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja as part of ongoing reforms in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.
According to the ministry, the policy applies to admissions into NCE programmes offered by Colleges of Education as well as ND Non-Technology Agriculture and Agriculture-related programmes in Polytechnics and Colleges of Agriculture nationwide.
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The ministry explained that the decision followed a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, on April 30, 2026, to address challenges affecting access to tertiary education.
Officials said the move was designed to eliminate restrictive admission barriers that have contributed to increasing numbers of out-of-school youths, low enrollment in teacher education programmes, and declining interest in agricultural training institutions.
Despite the removal of UTME as a compulsory requirement for the affected programmes, the ministry clarified that candidates would still be required to obtain and complete the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) application form.
The ministry further stated that all admissions must continue to be processed through the JAMB Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) to ensure transparency and proper coordination.
It added that applicants must also satisfy existing minimum admission requirements approved for their chosen institutions and programmes.
According to the ministry, the policy forms part of broader educational reforms aimed at strengthening teacher education, boosting agricultural manpower development, and expanding opportunities for Nigerian youths seeking tertiary education.
The government also emphasized that admission letters for all affected programmes would continue to be issued exclusively through JAMB after verification and confirmation of compliance with admission guidelines.
Education stakeholders have welcomed the development, describing it as a major step toward increasing enrollment in critical sectors such as education and agriculture while widening access to higher education across Nigeria.
