THE West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has appointed Nigerian education administrator, Dr Amos Josiah Dangut, as its new registrar and chief executive officer.
Dangut officially assumed office on October 1, 2026, becoming the 14th registrar of the examination body.
He will serve a five-year term running from October 2026 to September 2031, succeeding Pateh Bah of The Gambia.
WAEC announced the appointment in a statement issued on Thursday by Head of Public Affairs at the council’s headquarters in Accra, Ghana, Demianus G. Ojijeogu.
According to the council, Dangut’s appointment was ratified by its governing body at the 74th Annual Meeting held in Accra in March 2026.
From Nigeria office to WAEC leadership
Dangut previously served as head of the Nigeria National Office of WAEC, a position he held from October 2023 until September 2026.
His elevation to the council’s top administrative position follows more than two decades of experience in examination administration, test development and education management.
He began his career in 1994 at St. Louis College, Jos, where he worked as a teacher and WAEC examiner before joining the council in 1998.
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Since then, he has held several positions within WAEC, including assistant registrar in the Test Development Division in Ogba, Lagos, head of examinations security and deputy branch controller in Uyo and Bauchi, and Branch Controller in Yola.
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He also served as controller of the Post-Examinations Department, zonal coordinator in Ikeja and later Deputy Registrar and Head of the Nigeria National Office.
Academic background and examination reforms
Born on October 2, 1967, Dangut holds a Bachelor of Agriculture in Animal Production, a Master of Science in Animal Science and a Doctor of Philosophy in Animal Science.
He also obtained a Master of Education in Administration and Planning.
WAEC described him as an experienced test developer and administrator with a strong record of using technology to improve examination processes.
During his tenure as head of the Nigeria National Office, he was associated with several digital initiatives aimed at modernising the council’s examination operations.
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These included the introduction of Computer-Based WASSCE, serialisation of examination question papers and the Digital Electronic Marking System.
He also oversaw the implementation and expansion of the Digital Certificate Portal, WAEC E-Study Platform and Digital Records Archive, alongside technology-driven systems for examination logistics and examiner monitoring.
Experience beyond WAEC
Dangut has represented WAEC on several education-related bodies and served on the boards of the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), Joint Universities Preliminary Examinations Board (JUPEB), Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and Grange Educational Foundation.
He has also represented the council at the Joint Consultative Committee on Education and the National Council on Education.
His professional experience extends beyond Nigeria. 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 has authored publications in national and international journals and presented papers at conferences in the field of education and assessment.
He is a Fellow of the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN) and a member of the Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM).
Recognition
Throughout his career, Dangut has received recognition for his contribution to examination administration and education.
The Nigeria Examinations Committee commended his handling of examination-related matters between 2000 and 2006.
He also received an Award for Meritorious Service from the Ondo State Government during his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) year.
With his assumption of office, Dangut becomes responsible for leading WAEC, the regional examination body responsible for coordinating major secondary school examinations across its member countries.
