The United States Mission in Lagos has confirmed the arrival of Rick Swart as the new Consul General.
Swart succeeds JoEllen Gorg, who had led the Consulate General in an interim capacity for the past seven months following the departure of former Consul General Will Stevens in November 2024.
According to the Consulate, Swart now serves as the senior U.S. government representative to the Nigerian public across the 17 states in southern Nigeria.
A career diplomat and member of the U.S. Senior Foreign Service, Swart has served in various roles across Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. Prior to his arrival in Lagos, he was Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Chad.
The Consulate noted that Swart will lead U.S. government efforts to deepen trade and investment, strengthen people-to-people ties, and advance key bilateral priorities between Nigeria and the United States.
“I am excited about the opportunity to travel across the region, meet the people, experience the culture, while advancing the shared goals of making our two countries safer, stronger, and more prosperous,” Swart said.
He also expressed appreciation for JoEllen Gorg’s leadership and her work in promoting strong U.S.–Nigeria relations in the region.
“I look forward to working closely with Ambassador Mills and the team at the U.S. Embassy in Abuja to further advance the shared objectives between Nigeria and the United States,” he added.
Swart’s previous assignments include serving as Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., in Chad, Congo, and Burundi, Deputy Consul General in Baghdad, and Humanitarian Assistance Officer for Africa at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in Geneva.
Before joining the U.S. Department of State in 2002, he worked in the private sector on architectural and design projects in Asia and Africa.
(NAN)