The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has appointed Suleiman Danlami Kum as the new Head of its Nigeria National Office, succeeding Dr Amos Josiah Dangut after a career spanning more than 28 years with the examination body.
Kum’s appointment was confirmed in a statement issued by WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs, Moyosola F. Adesina, in Lagos. Before taking the top Nigeria office, he served as Deputy Registrar in the National Office and later rose to the position of Senior Deputy Registrar.
Brandspur Brand News reports that the new WAEC Nigeria chief brings extensive experience in examination administration, test security, security printing, technology-enabled assessment and branch management to the position.
Kum joined WAEC on July 17, 1998, as an Assistant Registrar II. Over the years, he held a series of operational and management positions, including Head of Examinations Security in Awka, Yola and Makurdi, and Branch Controller in Gusau and Kano.
He subsequently became Deputy Registrar and Head of the Security Printing Department before serving as Zonal Coordinator in Port Harcourt and Ikeja between 2021 and 2023. He was Director of Administration from January 2024 to August 2025 and became Senior Deputy Registrar/Test Administration in September 2025.
His record includes several initiatives aimed at strengthening the administration and security of examinations. In Gusau, he established the WAEC office as a custodial centre and introduced Variable Data Printing and enhanced security features into the Council’s printing operations.
He was also involved in replacing WAEC’s organisation-wide attendance systems with facial-recognition biometric devices and participated in the implementation of Achievement Tests through Computer-Based Examination technology.
The new HNO’s academic background combines agriculture and education. Born in Minna, Niger State, on October 16, 1970, Kum studied Animal Production at the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, now Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, graduating with Second Class Honours (Upper Division) in 1992.
He later obtained a Post Graduate 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 at the institution.
Before joining WAEC, Kum completed his National Youth Service Corps programme in 1993 at the Division of Agricultural Colleges, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he headed the Animal Production Unit. He subsequently taught at Baptist High School, Jos, between 1995 and 1998.
His teaching experience included responsibilities as a form master, labour master, classroom teacher and health master before he moved into examination administration.
Kum is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Management and has taken part in professional training programmes, conferences and symposia in Nigeria and abroad, including programmes in the United Kingdom. He has also contributed published works and presented academic and professional papers.
His appointment places an experienced administrator with a background spanning examination security, technology, assessment and institutional management at the helm of WAEC’s Nigeria operations.
