The United States Mission in Nigeria has welcomed Rick Swart as the new Consul General in Lagos, signaling a renewed commitment to strengthening U.S.–Nigeria relations, particularly across the southern region of the country.
Swart officially assumed duties on July 16, succeeding JoEllen Gorg, who had served in an interim capacity for the past seven months following the departure of Will Stevens in November 2024.
Okay.ng reports that as the senior U.S. government representative across 17 states in southern Nigeria, Consul General Swart is tasked with advancing cooperation in key areas including trade, investment, education, security, and people-to-people ties.
“I am honored to serve in Nigeria,” Swart said in his first official statement. “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.”
He also extended appreciation to JoEllen Gorg for her leadership, stating, “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 that he looks forward to working closely with Ambassador David Greene Mills and the broader U.S. Embassy team in Abuja.
A career member of the U.S. Senior Foreign Service, Rick Swart brings with him an extensive diplomatic portfolio. He most recently served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Chad, and has held key roles including Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. in Chad, Congo, and Burundi, as well as Deputy Consul General in Baghdad.
His global diplomatic experience spans Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, with prior postings in London, Manila, and Dubai, and a domestic role in Washington, D.C., where he focused on cross-cutting Sub-Saharan African policy issues.
Swart also served as a Humanitarian Assistance Officer for Africa at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in Geneva and began his career in service as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali. Prior to joining the State Department in 2002, he worked in the private sector on architectural and design projects across Asia and Africa.
