The Federal Government has announced a sweeping overhaul of admission requirements for all tertiary institutions in Nigeria, immediately dropping the mandatory Mathematics credit for students seeking entry into certain Arts and Humanities programmes.
The policy shift, disclosed by the Federal Ministry of Education, is a calculated move to expand access to higher education and ensure inclusivity. Driven by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, the reform is part of the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aiming to eliminate rigid entry barriers that have historically bottlenecked the system.
Dr. Alausa noted that out of over two million candidates who sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) annually, only about 700,000 gain admission. He explained that by removing Mathematics as a compulsory subject for non-Science disciplines, the government expects to admit an additional 250,000 to 300,000 students each year.
Under the new National Guidelines, the requirement for a credit in English Language remains mandatory for all courses. However, Mathematics will now only be compulsory for students applying to Science, Technology, and Social Science programmes across universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and Innovation Enterprise Academies (IEAs).
The new framework is effective immediately, signaling the government’s commitment to making the tertiary education sector more flexible and opportunity driven.
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