The West African Examinations Council has officially appointed Suleiman Kum as the new Head of its Nigeria National Office, following the elevation of Amos Dangut to the position of Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the regional examination body.
Kum, 56, takes charge of the Nigeria National Office after serving in several senior positions within WAEC, including Deputy Registrar in the office of the Head of the National Office and Senior Deputy Registrar in charge of Test Administration.
His appointment was announced by WAEC Nigeria’s Head of Public Affairs, Moyosola Adesina, in a statement issued on Sunday, formally confirming a leadership transition that had already been reported earlier in the week.
Kum succeeds Dangut, whose three-year tenure as Head of WAEC’s Nigeria National Office ended on October 1, 2026, after which Dangut assumed office as the council’s Registrar and Chief Executive Officer.
Dangut was appointed WAEC Registrar for a five-year term running from October 2026 to September 2031, succeeding Pateh Bah of The Gambia at the regional headquarters.
The leadership changes mean Nigeria now has a new head at its national WAEC office while a former Nigerian national-office head assumes responsibility for the council’s wider operations across its member countries.
WAEC described Kum as a seasoned test developer, administrator and executive whose career within the council has covered examination administration, test development, examination security and branch and zonal office management.
He joined WAEC on July 17, 1998, as Assistant Registrar II and gradually rose through the organisation, taking on responsibilities at several branch offices and specialised departments.
Among the positions he has held are Head of Examinations Security in Awka, Yola and Makurdi, Branch Controller in Gusau and Kano, Deputy Registrar and Zonal Coordinator in Port Harcourt and Ikeja, Director of Administration and Head of the Security Printing Department.
Before his latest appointment, Kum served as Senior Deputy Registrar for Test Administration from September 2025 until August 2026, giving him direct experience in one of the council’s most important operational areas.
WAEC said his career has been marked by several administrative and technological initiatives aimed at improving examination security, efficiency and the integrity of its assessment processes.
He was credited with pioneering Variable Data Printing and enhanced security features in WAEC’s security-printing operations, measures designed to strengthen the protection of examination-related documents.
Kum also played a role in replacing the council-wide attendance system with facial-recognition biometric devices and contributed to the delivery of Achievement Tests through computer-based examinations.
His professional background extends beyond WAEC, as he began his career during his National Youth Service Corps programme at the Division of Agricultural Colleges of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he served as Head of the Animal Production Unit.
He later worked at Baptist High School, Jos, between 1995 and 1998, where he served in several capacities before joining WAEC later that year.
Kum holds a Bachelor of Agriculture in Animal Production from the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from the National Open University of Nigeria.
He is also currently pursuing a Master of Education in Educational Administration and Planning at the National Open University of Nigeria, according to information released following his appointment.
WAEC said his extensive experience across examination security, administration, technology and branch management positioned him for the responsibility of leading its Nigeria National Office.
His appointment comes at a time when examination bodies are increasingly relying on technology to improve the administration, security and credibility of major examinations.
The transition also follows Dangut’s tenure as Nigeria’s Head of National Office, during which WAEC introduced and expanded several digital systems and examination reforms.
As Registrar and CEO, Dangut is expected to oversee WAEC’s activities across its member countries, while Kum will now be responsible for leading the council’s Nigeria operations.
The new arrangement places two experienced Nigerian WAEC officials in important leadership positions at both the national and regional levels of the examination council.
For students, schools and examination stakeholders across Nigeria, Kum’s immediate responsibilities will include maintaining the integrity of WAEC examinations, strengthening administrative systems and ensuring efficient delivery of the council’s programmes.
His background in test administration and examination security could also prove important as WAEC continues to expand computer-based assessment and other technology-driven examination processes.
The council’s latest appointments therefore mark more than a routine leadership change, with both positions carrying significant responsibilities for the future direction, security and credibility of examinations across Nigeria and the wider West African region.