The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has appointed Dr Amos Josiah Dangut, a Nigerian, as its 14th Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, with a five-year tenure effective from October 2026 to September 2031.
Appointment Announced at WAEC Headquarters
The announcement was made on Thursday by Demianus G. Ojijeogu, Head of Public Affairs at WAEC Headquarters in Accra, Ghana. Dangut assumed office on October 1, 2026, succeeding Alhaji Pateh Bah of The Gambia. His appointment was ratified at the Council's 74th Annual Meeting held in Accra, Ghana, in March 2026.
Dangut's elevation comes after his tenure as Head of the Nigeria National Office from October 2023 to September 2026. His career at WAEC began in 1998, having first worked as an examiner at St. Louis College, Jos, from 1994. Over more than two decades, he held various positions, including test development in Lagos, examinations security postings in Uyo and Bauchi, branch leadership in Yola, and zonal coordination in Ikeja, before rising to Deputy Registrar and Head of National Office.
Technology-Led Reforms Under Dangut
During his time as Head of the Nigeria National Office, Dangut oversaw several technology-driven improvements, including the rollout of Computer-Based WASSCE, the serialisation of question papers, and the launch of a Digital Electronic Marking System. He also managed the Digital Certificate Portal, the WAEC E-Study Platform, a Digital Records Archive, and systems designed to track examination logistics and monitor examiners in the field.
Born on October 2, 1967, Dangut holds four academic qualifications: a Bachelor of Agriculture in Animal Production (1991), a Master of Science in Animal Science (1994), a Doctor of Philosophy in Animal Science (2017), and a Master of Education in Administration and Planning (2020).
Broader Contributions and Recognitions
Dangut has served on the boards of the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), the Joint Universities Preliminary Examinations Board (JUPEB), and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), among others. He also represented WAEC at the Joint Consultative Committee on Education and the National Council on Education.
His recognitions include a commendation from the Nigeria Examinations Committee for handling examination matters between 2000 and 2006, and a Meritorious Service Award from the Ondo State Government during his National Youth Service Corps year. Dangut is a Fellow of the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN), a member of the Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM), and currently serves as the Regional Representative of the West African Sub-region on the Executive Board of the Association for Educational Assessment in Africa (AEAA).
Dangut's appointment marks a continuation of WAEC's focus on technology-led examination reforms across the region, with his five-year term set to shape the council's operations until September 2031.
