Master Chinaemere Opara, a 15-year-old Senior Secondary School (SSS) student, has filed a lawsuit against the Federal Ministry of Education, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), and the National Universities Commission (NUC) over the introduction of a new admission policy that imposes a minimum age requirement for university admission in Nigeria.
Opara, represented by his guardian and father, Mr. Maxwell Opara, a lawyer, filed the suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday. The lawsuit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1512/2024 and dated September 30, challenges the constitutionality of the new admission policy.
In his suit, Opara argues that the policy, which restricts the age at which Nigerian citizens can gain admission to universities, is discriminatory and unconstitutional. He contends that it violates his right to freedom of expression under Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as several articles of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
The student is seeking a court declaration that the policy infringes upon his right to peaceful assembly and association, as well as his right to equal access to public services, including the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and JAMB exams.
Opara has requested a perpetual injunction to restrain the respondents from enforcing the policy and an order to set aside the policy, which he believes interferes with his right to determine when he can enroll for university admissions exams.
The lawsuit has generated interest as it questions the fairness and legality of admission restrictions based on age in Nigeria’s education system.
