The United States Mission in Nigeria has announced the arrival of Rick Swart as the new Consul General in Lagos. Swart, a career diplomat and member of the Senior Foreign Service, officially assumed office on July 16, succeeding JoEllen Gorg, who served in an acting capacity for the past seven months.
As the senior U.S. government representative in southern Nigeria, Swart will oversee diplomatic engagement across 17 states. His responsibilities include strengthening trade and investment ties, promoting people-to-people relations, and advancing key priorities in the U.S.-Nigeria partnership.
“I am honoured to serve in Nigeria,” 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.”
Swart expressed appreciation for his predecessor, acknowledging Gorg’s efforts in sustaining U.S.-Nigeria relations. “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,” he said.
He also pledged close collaboration with Ambassador David Greene Mills and the U.S. Embassy in Abuja.
Swart most recently served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Chad. His diplomatic portfolio includes roles in Chad, Congo, Burundi, Iraq, and Geneva, with additional postings in London, Manila, and Dubai. He has also worked in Washington, D.C., on various sub-Saharan Africa issues.
Before joining the State Department in 2002, Swart worked in architecture and design in Asia and Africa and served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali.
