The U.S. Mission in Nigeria has welcomed its new Consul General, Rick Swart, who arrived in Lagos on July 16.As Consul General, Swart becomes the senior U.S. Government representative to the Nigerian people across the 17 states in southern Nigeria, according to a statement released by the U.S. Consulate in Lagos on Friday.
His responsibilities include leading U.S. government activities aimed at deepening trade and investment, strengthening people-to-people relationships, and advancing key priorities in the U.S.-Nigeria bilateral partnership throughout the region.“I am honoured to serve in Nigeria,” said Swart. “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 succeeds JoEllen Gorg, who had served in an interim capacity for the past seven months following the departure of Will Stevens 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,” 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.”
A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Swart brings extensive diplomatic experience across Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. He most recently served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Chad.
His previous roles include 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. He has also served in London, Manila, and Dubai, and held domestic assignments in Washington, D.C., focused on sub-Saharan Africa.
Prior to joining the State Department in 2002, Swart worked in the private sector on architectural and design projects in Asia and Africa, and also served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali.
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