The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has appointed Dr Amos Dangut, the outgoing Head of its Nigeria National Office, as the council’s new Registrar and Chief Executive Officer.

The appointment takes effect in October 2026 and will run for a five-year term through September 2031, according to a statement by WAEC Headquarters.

The council said Dangut succeeds Alhaji Pateh Bah of The Gambia in the top administrative position.

Dangut brings decades of education and assessment experience

WAEC Head of Public Affairs at its Accra headquarters, Mr Damianus Ojijeogu, announced the appointment in a statement made available to the council’s Nigerian National Office in Yaba, Lagos.

Dangut, who was born on October 2, 1967, has an academic background spanning agriculture, education and administration.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture (Animal Production), a Master’s degree in Animal Science, a PhD in Animal Science and a Master of Education in Administration and Planning.

His career in education began in 1994 at St. Louis College, Jos, where he worked as an examiner before joining WAEC four years later.

From WAEC examiner to Registrar

Since joining WAEC in 1998, Dangut has held a number of senior positions within the organisation.

His previous roles include: Assistant Registrar, Senior Assistant Registrar, Deputy Registrar, Deputy Registrar/Controller.

He served in both the council’s headquarters and branch offices before becoming Head of the WAEC National Office, Nigeria, in October 2023.

His appointment as Registrar followed its ratification by WAEC’s International Governing Board at its 74th Annual Meeting in Accra in March 2026.

Digital reforms highlighted during Nigeria tenure

WAEC said Dangut oversaw several initiatives intended to modernise examination administration and strengthen examination security while heading its Nigerian office.

Among the initiatives highlighted by the council were the introduction of: Computer-Based WASSCE, serialised examination question papers, a Digital Electronic Marking System, a Digital Certificate Portal, the WAEC E-Study Platform, a Digital Records Archive.

He also supervised digital systems supporting examination logistics, timetable administration and monitoring of examiners’ attendance.

These initiatives form part of the broader shift towards technology-driven examination administration across West Africa.

Experience extends beyond WAEC

Dangut has also served on the governing boards of several Nigerian education institutions and examination-related bodies.

According to WAEC, these include the: Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), Joint Universities Preliminary Examinations Board (JUPEB), Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

He has also represented WAEC at education policy platforms including the Joint Consultative Committee on Education and the National Council on Education.

Academic and professional background

WAEC described Dangut as a scholar who has published research in both national and international journals.

He has participated in academic and professional conferences in Nigeria and abroad.

He currently serves as the Regional Representative for the West African sub-region on the Executive Board of the Association for Educational Assessment in Africa (AEAA).

Dangut is also a Fellow of the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN) and a member of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM).

What Dangut’s appointment means for WAEC

The Registrar and CEO occupies a central administrative position within WAEC, an organisation responsible for major secondary-school examinations across several West African countries.

His appointment comes as examination systems across the region increasingly incorporate: computer-based testing, digital marking, electronic certificates, digital records, stronger examination-security systems.

His experience leading WAEC’s Nigerian operations therefore gives him direct experience with some of the reforms now shaping examination administration.

About WAEC

The West African Examinations Council was established to conduct examinations and help maintain educational assessment standards across participating West African countries.

The council operates in Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, The Gambia and Liberia.

Its examinations include the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), one of the region’s major secondary-school assessment programmes.