WAEC names Suleiman Kum as new Head of Nigeria National Office

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has appointed Mr Suleiman Kum as the new Head of its Nigeria National Office (HNO). The appointment was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday in Lagos by Mrs Moyosola Adesina, Head of Public Affairs, WAEC Nigeria.

Kum is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Management and has published works in national and international volumes, as well as presented academic and professional papers.

Career at WAEC

Kum joined WAEC on July 17, 1998, as Assistant Registrar II and rose to Senior Deputy Registrar in 2024. Before his appointment as HNO, he served as Deputy Registrar in the Office of the HNO. He also held several positions within the Council, 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 served as Senior Deputy Registrar, Test Administration, from September 2025 to August 2026. His experience spans test development, examination administration, examination security, as well as branch and zonal office management.

Technology and examination reforms

According to WAEC, Kum pioneered several administrative and technological innovations during his career, including Variable Data Printing and enhanced security features in the Council’s security printing operations. He also led the introduction of facial recognition biometric devices to replace the Council-wide attendance system. The statement said Kum played a key role in the delivery of Achievement Tests through the Computer-Based Examination mode.

Academic background

Kum was born on October 16, 1970, in Minna, Niger State, and hails from Langtang North Local Government Area of Plateau State. He obtained a Bachelor of Agriculture in Animal Production from the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, in 1992, graduating with Second Class Honours, Upper Division. He later obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) 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 (NYSC) programme at the Division of Agricultural Colleges, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he served as Head of the Animal Production Unit. He subsequently taught at Baptist High School, Jos, from 1995 to 1998, serving in various capacities including Form Master, Labour Master, Classroom Teacher and Health Master. WAEC said Kum’s contributions to the Council have earned him several commendations, accolades and awards within and outside the examination body.

Handover and education reforms

Kum takes over from Amos Dangut, who was appointed Head of WAEC’s Nigeria National Office in October 2023 and recently became the council’s Registrar and CEO. Nairametrics reported that Dangut assumed the position of Registrar and CEO on October 1, 2026, for a five-year term ending in September 2031.

Kum’s appointment comes at a time of significant changes across Nigeria’s education system, with new measures being introduced to strengthen how schools, projects and learning materials are managed. Nairametrics reported in September that the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) is set to begin full implementation of its 10-Year Universal Basic Education Roadmap, covering 2026 to 2035, from the first week of October. The roadmap is accompanied by the Basic Education Action Plan Management System (BEAPMS), a digital platform designed to improve the planning, monitoring and transparency of basic education projects across the country. The Federal Ministry of Education has also released a new list of ranked and approved textbooks for use in Nigerian schools from 2026 to 2028, with unique QR tracking codes introduced to improve monitoring and accountability around instructional materials.