By Felix Khanoba
The Registrar and Chief Executive of the National Examinations Council, Prof. Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, has been elected Vice-President of the Association for Educational Assessment in Africa, AEAA, while Nigeria has secured the right to host the association’s 2027 conference in Abuja.
The decisions were endorsed by the AEAA General Assembly during the just-concluded 42nd Conference of the association held in Arusha, Tanzania.
A statement signed by the Acting Director, Information and Public Relations of NECO, Azeez Sani, on Friday, said Wushishi’s election and Nigeria’s successful bid to host the continental gathering are seen as further recognition of the country’s growing role in educational assessment, particularly as examination bodies grapple with digital transformation and the integration of artificial intelligence into testing and certification.
The NECO boss previously served on the AEAA Executive Council as the representative of the West African sub-region, a position that preceded his elevation to the association’s vice-presidency.
Since assuming office as NECO Registrar in 2021, Wushishi has introduced several reforms targeted at modernising examination administration, strengthening the council’s technological infrastructure and expanding its international presence.
The council currently conducts examinations in eight foreign countries, marking a significant expansion of its operations beyond Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the 2027 AEAA Conference is scheduled to hold in Abuja from August 16 to 20, 2027.
According to the statement, the conference is expected to bring together policymakers, researchers, examination administrators and education experts from across Africa. It will also provide Nigeria with an opportunity to showcase its reforms and innovations in educational assessment.
The AUTHORITY reports that Wushishi, born on April 5, 1965, in Wushishi, Niger State, is a scholar of Science Education specialising in Chemistry Education.
Before his appointment as NECO Registrar, he had an academic career spanning Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, and the Federal University of Technology, Minna, where he occupied various leadership positions, including Head of Department, Postgraduate Coordinator and Sub-Dean.
His reappointment as NECO Registrar by President Bola Tinubu earlier this year was regarded as an endorsement of the reforms undertaken under his leadership, particularly in technology and examination administration.
His latest election, alongside Nigeria’s selection to host the 2027 AEAA Conference, is expected to further enhance the country’s influence within Africa’s educational assessment community and reinforce its ambition to play a leading role in shaping the continent’s evolving examination system.
