The U.S. Mission in Nigeria has announced the arrival of its new Consul General, Rick Swart, who landed in Lagos on July 16.
As Consul General in Lagos, Mr. Swart is the senior U.S. Government representative to the Nigerian people throughout the 17 states in southern Nigeria, the press office of the U.S. Consulate in Lagos said in a statement Friday.
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He is responsible for leading and overseeing U.S. government activities that deepen trade and investment ties, expand people-to-people connections, and advance the full range of priorities in the U.S.-Nigeria bilateral relationship across the region.
“I am honoured to serve in Nigeria,” Consul General Swart said. “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.”
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Mr Swart takes over from JoEllen Gorg who led the Consulate General in an interim capacity over the last seven months. The immediate past Consul General, Will Stevens, completed his tour of duty in November 2024.
“I thank JoEllen for her remarkable leadership and for the outstanding work she has done to promote our close partnership with the Nigerian people in the region,” Consul General Swart added. “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.”
Consul General Rick Swart, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, has held diverse diplomatic roles across Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia, most recently as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Chad.
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His diplomatic assignments include serving as Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., in the Republics of Chad, Congo, and Burundi; Deputy Consul General in Baghdad, Iraq; and Humanitarian Assistance Officer for Africa at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in Geneva. Other assignments include overseas tours in London, Manila, and Dubai; as well as domestic postings in Washington, D.C., serving as the focal point for several cross-cutting sub-Saharan Africa issues.
Before joining the State Department in 2002, Mr Swart worked in the private sector on architectural and design projects in Asia and Africa. He also served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali.
