WAEC Appoints Suleiman Kum As New Nigeria National Office Head

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has appointed Suleiman Kum as the new Head of its Nigeria National Office (HNO).

The appointment was announced in a statement issued on Sunday in Lagos by the Head of Public Affairs, WAEC Nigeria, Moyosola Adesina.

Kum, who has spent more than two decades with WAEC, joined the examination body on July 17, 1998, as Assistant Registrar II and rose to the position of Senior Deputy Registrar in 2024.

Prior to his appointment as Head of the Nigeria National Office, he served as Deputy Registrar in the HNO’s office.

Over the years, Kum has held several positions within WAEC, including Director of Administration, Zonal Coordinator in Port Harcourt and Ikeja, Head of the Security Printing Department, and Branch Controller in Gusau and Kano.

He was also Senior Deputy Registrar, Test Administration, between September 2025 and August 2026.

His professional experience covers test development, examination administration, examination security, as well as the management of WAEC’s branch and zonal offices.

According to WAEC, Kum contributed to several administrative and technological innovations introduced by the Council.

These included the use of Variable Data Printing and enhanced security features in security printing operations.

He also spearheaded the introduction of facial recognition biometric devices to replace the Council-wide attendance system.

The new HNO equally played a role in the introduction of Achievement Tests through the Computer-Based Examination mode, WAEC said.

Born on October 16, 1970, in Minna, Niger State, Kum is from Langtang North Local Government Area of Plateau State.

He holds a Bachelor of Agriculture in Animal Production from the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, where he graduated with Second Class Honours, Upper Division, in 1992.

He subsequently obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from the National Open University of Nigeria in 2025 and is currently completing a Master of Education in Educational Administration and Planning.

Kum began his professional career in 1993 during his National Youth Service Corps programme at the Division of Agricultural Colleges, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

During the programme, he served as Head of the Animal Production Unit.

He later joined Baptist High School, Jos, where he taught from 1995 to 1998 and served in various capacities, including Form Master, Labour Master, Classroom Teacher and Health Master.

WAEC said Kum’s contributions to the Council had earned him several commendations, accolades and awards both within and outside the organisation.

He succeeds Amos Dangut, who became Head of the Nigeria National Office in October 2023 before assuming office as WAEC’s Registrar and Chief Executive Officer on October 1, 2026.

Dangut is expected to serve as Registrar and CEO for a five-year term ending in September 2031.

Kum’s appointment comes amid ongoing changes in Nigeria’s education sector, including efforts to strengthen the planning, monitoring and management of basic education programmes.

The Universal Basic Education Commission is implementing its 10-Year Universal Basic Education Roadmap covering 2026 to 2035, supported by the Basic Education Action Plan Management System, a digital platform aimed at improving the monitoring and transparency of basic education projects.

The Federal Ministry of Education has also introduced a new list of ranked and approved textbooks for use in Nigerian schools from 2026 to 2028, with unique QR tracking codes designed to strengthen monitoring and accountability in the distribution and use of instructional materials.