The Federal Ministry of Education has announced a major reform in the admission policy for tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Under the new guidelines, senior secondary school students in the arts and humanities will no longer need a credit pass in mathematics in their Senior School Certificate Examination, conducted by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and the National Examination Council (NECO), to gain admission into universities or polytechnics.
For several years, students seeking admission into higher institutions across Nigeria have been required to obtain five credits, including English Language and Mathematics, regardless of their chosen field of study. This new development marks a shift from that policy, which many had considered restrictive for students in non-science disciplines.
According to the Federal Ministry of Education, the new policy is captured in the “revised National Guidelines for Entry Requirements into Nigerian Tertiary Institutions,” which aim to remove unnecessary barriers while maintaining academic quality.
“The revised National Guidelines for Entry Requirements into Nigerian Tertiary Institutions are designed to remove barriers while maintaining academic standards,” a statement by the ministry’s spokesperson, Folasade Boriowo, said.
She explained that the new framework applies to universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and Innovation Enterprise Academies across the country.
For universities, the statement noted that candidates are required to have “a minimum of five 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.”
For the National Diploma level in polytechnics, the guideline requires “a minimum of four credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language for non-science courses and Mathematics for science-related programs.”
At the Higher National Diploma level, “a minimum of five credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language and Mathematics,” will be required.
For Colleges of Education, the policy states that candidates must have “a minimum of four credit passes in relevant subjects, with English Language mandatory for Arts and Social Science courses, and Mathematics required for Science, Vocational, and Technical programs.”
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, described the reform as “a deliberate effort to expand access to tertiary education.” He explained that the change is part of the federal government’s plan to make admission into higher institutions more inclusive.
The ministry also announced a comprehensive review of admission entry requirements for all tertiary institutions, increasing the national admission capacity from about 700,000 to one million students annually.
According to the government, the reform aims to expand access to higher education and create opportunities for an additional 250,000 to 300,000 admissions each year.
“Every year, over two million candidates sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), yet only about 700,000 gain admission,” the minister said. “This imbalance is not due to lack of ability but outdated and overly stringent entry requirements that must give way to fairness and opportunity.”
He added that “the reform is a deliberate effort to expand access to tertiary education, creating opportunities for an additional 250,000 to 300,000 students each year. It reflects our commitment to ensuring that every Nigerian youth has a fair chance to learn, grow, and succeed—putting the Renewed Hope Agenda into action.”