The United States President, Donald Trump, has approved the redeployment of a career diplomat, Rick Swart, as the Consul General in Lagos, Nigeria.
Swart, who would be representing the US government across 17 states in southern Nigeria, was redeployed to the country barely five months after his promotion as the Chargé d’Affaires at its Embassy in Chad.
This was disclosed through a statement made available to newsmen on Friday by the Public Diplomacy Section, US Consulate General Lagos.
Swart is expected to oversee efforts aimed at deepening trade, strengthening ties with Nigerians, and advancing key U.S.-Nigeria priorities in the region.
“I am honoured 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 was quoted as saying.
He succeeds JoEllen Gorg, who had served in an interim capacity since November 2024, following the departure of Will Stevens.
Swart praised Gorg’s efforts, saying, “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.
“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”.
Rick, who is a Senior Foreign Service Officer and a career diplomat since 2002, has served in Niamey, Niger; London, United Kingdom; Manila, Philippines; Geneva, Switzerland; Baghdad, Iraq; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; and Washington, DC.
His roles have included political officer (Niamey), desk officer for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Washington), humanitarian assistance officer for Africa (Geneva), and the focal point for several cross-cutting sub-Saharan Africa issues (Washington).
Additionally, he has held various consular positions, including Deputy Consul General and Consular Section Chief, in London, Manila, Baghdad, and Dubai.
Before joining the State Department, Rick was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali and completed a semester-long outdoor leadership expedition program with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in Kenya.
In the private sector, while based in Hong Kong and Beijing, Rick worked on architectural and design projects in Asia and later in Africa.
He then worked for the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), working on election organization in Africa. Originally from San Diego, Rick graduated from the University of Colorado with a BA in Philosophy.
He has a master’s degree in African Studies from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and a master’s degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College. Rick speaks Bambara and French.