WAEC Appoints Suleiman Kum as New Nigeria Office Head

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has appointed Mr Suleiman Danlami Kum as the new Head of its Nigeria National Office, marking a leadership transition at the examination body’s Nigerian operations.

Kum succeeds Dr Amos Josiah Dangut, who has moved from the Nigeria National Office to assume the position of Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of WAEC. Dangut formally assumed the regional position beginning a five-year tenure that will run until September 2031.

The appointment of Kum, which took effect in early October, places an experienced WAEC administrator at the helm of the council’s national office. Before his elevation, he served as Senior Deputy Registrar and Head of Test Administration at WAEC Nigeria, a role that gave him substantial experience in examination administration and operational coordination.

Reports on Kum’s career indicate that he has previously served the council in several operational capacities, including as a Branch Controller and Zonal Coordinator. His experience has included coordinating examination activities, working with education authorities and supporting the enforcement of WAEC’s regulations and anti-malpractice measures.

The leadership change comes at an important period for examination administration in Nigeria, where issues including examination integrity, malpractice prevention, digital transformation and efficient delivery of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination remain significant priorities.

Dangut’s three-year tenure as Head of the Nigeria National Office ended following his elevation to the council’s highest executive position. During his tenure, WAEC highlighted several reforms, including the rollout of Computer-Based WASSCE, serialisation of examination question papers and the introduction of a Digital Electronic Marking System.

WAEC also credited Dangut’s administration with overseeing digital services such as the Digital Certificate Portal, WAEC E-Study Platform and Digital Records Archive, alongside systems designed to improve examination logistics, timetable management and monitoring of examiners’ attendance.

Kum’s appointment therefore represents both continuity and a new phase for WAEC Nigeria as the council continues to modernise its examination processes while maintaining confidence in the integrity of its assessments.

For students, schools, parents and education stakeholders across Nigeria, the effectiveness of the new leadership will be closely watched, particularly in areas involving examination security, candidate services, technology-driven assessment and the fight against malpractice.

The transition also gives Kum the responsibility of sustaining institutional reforms while responding to the evolving demands of Nigeria’s large and complex secondary-school examination system.

Obaland magazine will continue to monitor developments surrounding WAEC Nigeria, including policies and reforms under Kum’s leadership and their implications for candidates and the wider education Sectors

WAEC appoints Suleiman Danlami Kum as the new Head of its Nigeria National Office following Amos Dangut’s elevation to Registrar and CEO of the regional examination body.