The Federal Ministry of Education has announced a major shift in Nigeria’s tertiary admission criteria: students seeking entry into Arts and Humanities programmes will no longer need a credit in Mathematics in their Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).  The revised National Guidelines for Entry Requirements maintain that a minimum of five credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language, will suffice for Arts applicants. 

Under the new framework, Mathematics remains compulsory only for programmes within Science, Technology, and Social Science disciplines.  The change also extends to polytechnics, colleges of education, and Innovation Enterprise Academies, with Mathematics retained for science-based courses but removed from requirements for non-science tracks.  Proponents say the move is designed to dismantle unnecessary barriers, broaden access to higher education, and enable more qualified candidates to gain admission.