Suleiman Kum, aged 56, has officially taken over as the Head of the Nigeria National Office of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), succeeding Dr Amos Dangut, whose three-year tenure ended on 1 October 2026. Dangut has now stepped into the role of Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the regional body.
Prior to his latest appointment, Kum served as Senior Deputy Registrar in charge of Test Administration until late August, having previously worked as Deputy Registrar within the HNO’s office. Hailing from Plateau State, he earned a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from the National Open University of Nigeria, where he is also studying for a Master of Education in Educational Administration and Planning.
The appointment was formally announced on Sunday in a statement issued by the Head of Public Affairs at WAEC Nigeria, Moyosola Adesina, who described Kum as “a seasoned test developer, administrator and executive” who first joined the council on 17 July 1998 as an Assistant Registrar II.
Over the course of his 28-year career at the examination board, Kum has held numerous key operational posts across the country, including Head of Exams Security in Awka, Yola, and Makurdi, and Branch Controller in Gusau and Kano. He subsequently served as Deputy Registrar overseeing Security Printing, led zonal operations in Port Harcourt and Ikeja, and worked as Director of Administration before stepping into his senior test administration role.
The council highlighted Kum’s track record of administrative and technological reform, pointing to his role in setting up the Gusau office as a Custodial Centre. WAEC noted that he pioneered “Variable Data Printing and enhanced code-security features in security printing, replacing council-wide attendance systems with facial-recognition biometric devices and leading the seamless delivery of Achievement Tests using the Computer-Based Examination mode.”
The council praised the new chief’s track record. “Throughout his eventful career, Mr Kum has shown integrity, diligence, innovation and a strong commitment to service. His leadership across various portfolios has earned him numerous institutional commendations, accolades and awards within the Council and beyond,” the statement read.