Education: NECO Registrar, Wushishi emerges Vice-President of AEAA

….As Nigeria secures hosting rights for 2027 Continental education summit

By Daniel Ebi, Minna

Nigeria has strengthened its influence in Africa’s educational assessment landscape as the Registrar and Chief Executive of the National Examinations Council (NECO), Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, was elected Vice-President of the Association for Educational Assessment in Africa (AEAA), while the country also won the right to host the Association’s 2027 continental conference.

The twin achievements were ratified at the 42nd AEAA Conference held in Arusha, Tanzania, marking a major boost for Nigeria’s profile in educational testing, certification and emerging digital assessment systems across Africa.

With the development, Nigeria is expected to play a more strategic role in shaping policies on examination administration, digital transformation and the integration of artificial intelligence into educational assessment on the continent.

Wushishi, who previously represented the West African sub-region on the AEAA Executive Council, has been widely credited with spearheading reforms that have transformed NECO since his appointment in 2021. 

Under his leadership, the Council has expanded its technological infrastructure, modernised examination processes and extended its operations beyond Nigeria’s borders, with NECO examinations now conducted in eight foreign countries.

Analysts say his emergence as AEAA Vice-President reflects growing international confidence in Nigeria’s capacity to drive innovation in educational assessment.

In another landmark development, Nigeria, through NECO, will host the 2027 AEAA Conference in Abuja from August 16 to 20, bringing together policymakers, researchers, examination bodies and education experts from across Africa.

The conference is expected to provide Nigeria with an opportunity to showcase ongoing reforms in its education sector while promoting collaboration on the future of examinations in an era increasingly influenced by technology and artificial intelligence.

Wushishi, a native of Wushishi in Niger State, was born on April 5, 1965. A renowned scholar of Science Education with specialisation in Chemistry Education, he has served in several academic and administrative capacities at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, and the Federal University of Technology, Minna.

His reappointment earlier this year by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was viewed by stakeholders as a vote of confidence in the reforms introduced at NECO.

Observers note that the latest developments in Arusha have not only elevated Professor Wushishi’s continental standing but have also positioned Nigeria as a leading voice in Africa’s rapidly evolving educational assessment ecosystem.