Manny Ita –
The Lagos State Government has announced that it will not admit candidates who score below 185 in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) into any of its state-owned universities, rejecting the national minimum benchmark of 150 set by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
The Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Tolani Sule, made this known during a ministerial press briefing in Alausa, Lagos, as part of activities marking the third anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term. He said Lagos considers the 150 cut-off too low for its institutions and is committed to maintaining higher academic standards.
According to him, none of Lagos State’s three universities will consider candidates who score below 185, arguing that the state is not educationally disadvantaged and therefore should not adopt a lower threshold meant for less developed regions.
He also stressed that lowering admission standards would not be an option for the state government, which prefers to improve access to tertiary education by expanding infrastructure rather than reducing academic requirements.
Sule added that the state has expanded its university system from one to three institutions to increase access for admission seekers, with plans to further grow capacity in the future. He also mentioned ongoing efforts to establish a University of Medicine and Health Sciences as part of broader education development initiatives.
In summary, Lagos is maintaining a stricter admission cut-off than the national guideline, insisting on 185 and above for entry into its public universities while continuing to expand higher education opportunities within the state.
