The United States Mission in Nigeria has announced the arrival of its new Consul General, Rick Swart, who officially assumed office in Lagos on July 16, 2025.
As the Consul General in Lagos, Swart is now the senior U.S. government representative across the 17 states in southern Nigeria.
Rick Swart will oversee U.S. government activities in southern Nigeria focused on deepening trade and investment, promoting people-to-people ties, and advancing diplomatic priorities in the region.
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“I am honored to serve in Nigeria. 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
Leadership transition
Swart takes over from JoEllen Gorg, who served in an acting capacity for the past seven months following the departure of the immediate past Consul General, Will Stevens, who completed his tour in November 2024.
Stevens played a visible role in strengthening diplomatic engagements during his tenure, especially in supporting trade discussions and cultural programs.
Acknowledging his predecessor, Swart thanked 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.
He added that he looks 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.
Swarts diplomatic experience
Rick Swart is a career member of the U.S. Senior Foreign Service with a diplomatic career spanning several continents. Before his appointment to Nigeria, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Chad.
He has also served in other leadership roles, including Chargé d’Affaires in Chad, Congo, and Burundi, and Deputy Consul General in Baghdad, Iraq.
His experience further includes assignments in Geneva as a Humanitarian Assistance Officer for Africa at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, and tours in London, Manila, and Dubai. In Washington, D.C., he worked as the focal point for sub-Saharan Africa issues.
Before joining the U.S. State Department in 2002, Swart had a background in architecture and design and served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali.
What you should know
The United States divides its diplomatic responsibilities in Nigeria between two key missions based on geography and function: the Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate General in Lagos.
The U.S. Consulate General in Lagos, where Rick Swart now serves as Consul General, is responsible only for the 17 states in Southern Nigeria. This includes the South-West, South-South, and South-East geopolitical zones, covering major commercial centers like Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu, and others.
The U.S. Embassy in Abuja, on the other hand, is responsible for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and 18 northern states spread across three geopolitical zones, North-West, North-East, and North-Central.
