FG Eases University Admission Rules: English, Maths Credit No Longer Mandatory for Some Courses

Story: written Myra October 15,2025
In a landmark policy shift aimed at expanding access to higher education, the Federal Government of Nigeria has announced that credit passes in English Language and Mathematics will no longer be compulsory for certain degree programmes across the country’s tertiary institutions.

The new framework, unveiled by the Federal Ministry of Education, is designed to broaden admission opportunities and remove barriers that have long limited entry for qualified students whose strengths lie outside traditional core subjects.

According to Folasade Boriowo, Director of Press at the Ministry, the decision aligns with the government’s commitment to inclusive education under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

In a statement, Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, explained that the reform was prompted by years of restrictive policies that denied thousands of capable candidates access to tertiary education.

“Every year, more than two million candidates take the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), but only around 700,000 secure admission. This gap is not due to a lack of ability, but to outdated and unnecessarily rigid entry requirements,” Alausa said.

The minister noted that the updated National Admission Guidelines aim to promote fairness, inclusivity, and equal opportunity, while maintaining academic quality across universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and innovation enterprise institutions nationwide.

New Admission Framework

• Universities: A minimum of five credits in relevant subjects, including English Language, obtained in not more than two sittings. Mathematics remains compulsory only for Science, Technology, and Social Science courses.
• Polytechnics (ND): At least four credits, including English for non-science programmes and Mathematics for science-based disciplines.
• Polytechnics (HND): Five credits, including English and Mathematics, in relevant subjects.
• Colleges of Education (NCE): Four credits, with English mandatory for Arts and Social Sciences, and Mathematics for Science, Technical, and Vocational studies.
• Colleges of Education (B.Ed): Five credits, including English and Mathematics, depending on course requirements.
• Innovation Enterprise Academies (IEAs): To follow polytechnic ND standards. The National Innovation Diploma (NID) has been abolished and replaced by the National Diploma (ND) for uniformity and credibility.

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has begun re-accrediting Innovation Enterprise Academies to ensure compliance with the new ND structure. Institutions that fail to meet the updated requirements will face de-accreditation.

Expanding Access and Opportunity

Dr. Alausa emphasized that the reform will create space for an additional 250,000 to 300,000 students to gain admission annually, helping to reduce the number of out-of-school youth and strengthen vocational and technical education.

“This is a deliberate effort to give every Nigerian youth a fair chance to learn, grow, and succeed,” the minister said. “Our goal is to build an education system that values talent, skills, and diversity of learning.”

He added that harmonising admission requirements would bring Nigeria’s tertiary education closer to global standards, while ensuring that education remains a driver of national development and youth empowerment.