The Registrar/Chief Executive of the National Examinations Council (NECO), Prof. Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, has been elected Vice-President of the Association for Educational Assessment in Africa (AEAA).
In a related development, Nigeria has secured the right to host the 2027 AEAA Conference in Abuja from August 16 to 20, 2027.
According to Azeez Sani, Acting Director, Information and Public Relations in a Statement, the decisions were endorsed by the AEAA General Assembly at the just-concluded 42nd Conference of the association in Arusha, Tanzania.
The twin developments, according to NECO, reflect growing recognition of Nigeria’s role and influence in educational assessment across Africa, particularly amid the increasing adoption of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in testing and certification.
Wushishi’s election follows his service on the AEAA Executive Council as the representative of the West African sub-region.
Since assuming office as NECO Registrar in 2021, he has overseen reforms aimed at modernising examination administration, expanding the council’s technological infrastructure and strengthening its international presence.
NECO examinations are currently conducted in eight foreign countries, extending the council’s operations beyond Nigeria.
The 2027 conference is expected to bring together policymakers, researchers, examination administrators and education experts from across Africa in Abuja.
The event will also provide Nigeria with an opportunity to showcase reforms and innovations in educational assessment and contribute to discussions on the future of testing and certification on the continent.
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 at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, and the Federal University of Technology, Minna, where he held various leadership positions, including Head of Department, Postgraduate Coordinator and Sub-Dean.
His reappointment as NECO Registrar by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu earlier this year was regarded as an endorsement of the technological and administrative reforms undertaken under his leadership.
The latest developments in Tanzania further strengthen Nigeria’s position within Africa’s educational assessment community and reinforce the country’s ambition to play a leading role in shaping the continent’s evolving examination landscape.
