The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has appointed Dr. Amos Josiah Dangut as its new Registrar and Chief Executive Officer. Dangut, a Nigerian education and examination administrator, assumed office on October 1, 2026, as the 14th Registrar of the Council. He succeeds Alhaji Pateh Bah of The Gambia and will serve a five-year tenure. Dangut brings over two decades of experience in examination administration, test development, and education management to the position.
Dangut's appointment was ratified by WAEC's international governing board during its 74th Annual Meeting held in Accra, Ghana, in March 2026. Prior to his appointment, he served as Head of WAEC's Nigeria National Office from October 2023 to September 2026. In this role, he was involved in the administration of the Council's examinations and the implementation of several technology-driven reforms. Dangut's experience in examination administration and test development makes him a suitable candidate for the position.
Born on October 2, 1967, Dangut began his professional career in education in 1994 at St. Louis College, Jos, where he worked as a teacher and served as a WAEC examiner. He joined WAEC in 1998 and has since occupied several positions across the Council's examination administration and test development structures. His academic background spans agriculture, animal science, and education administration. Dangut holds a Bachelor of Agriculture in Animal Production, a Master of Science in Animal Science, a Doctor of Philosophy in Animal Science, and a Master of Education in Administration and Planning.
Dangut's tenure at WAEC has been marked by an emphasis on the use of Information and Communications Technology to improve test development, examination administration, and post-examination activities. As Head of WAEC's Nigeria National Office, he championed the rollout of the Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), the serialization of question papers, and the introduction of a Digital Electronic Marking System. These reforms aim to improve efficiency, record management, and the delivery of examination services.
The new Registrar has received recognition for his work in examination administration. He was commended by the Nigeria Examinations Committee for his handling of examination matters between 2000 and 2006. He also received an Award for Meritorious Service from the Ondo State Government during his National Youth Service Corps year. Dangut has served on the boards of several major education-related institutions, including the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
Dangut's experience in deploying digital systems is expected to be relevant to his new regional responsibilities as WAEC continues to confront the challenges associated with the scale and complexity of examinations conducted across its member countries. His professional engagements extend beyond Nigeria, and he is currently the Regional Representative of the West African Sub-region on the Executive Board of the Association for Educational Assessment in Africa (AEAA).
In addition to his administrative responsibilities, Dangut has contributed to academic and professional discourse through publications in national and international journals. He has also presented papers at conferences, drawing on his experience in education, assessment, examination administration, and test development. Dangut is a Fellow of the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN) and a member of the Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM).
Key points
- Dr. Amos Josiah Dangut was appointed as the 14th Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
- Dangut has over two decades of experience in examination administration, test development, and education management.
- His tenure at WAEC has been marked by an emphasis on the use of Information and Communications Technology to improve test development, examination administration, and post-examination activities.
