Rick Swart US Consul General Lagos begins tenure to strengthen US-Nigeria ties, replacing JoEllen Gorg. Swart pledges closer partnership with southern Nigeria
Rick Swart US Consul General Lagos has officially assumed duties as the new head of the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos, according to a statement from the United States Mission in Nigeria.
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Swart took over on July 16, 2025, succeeding JoEllen Gorg, who held the position in an acting capacity for seven months following the departure of former Consul General Will Stevens in late 2024.
Described as the senior U.S. Government representative across 17 southern Nigerian states, Swart is tasked with leading initiatives that deepen trade relations, enhance people-to-people ties, and advance the broad U.S.-Nigeria bilateral agenda.
“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 stated.
He also praised JoEllen Gorg for her interim leadership, acknowledging her dedication to promoting the U.S.-Nigeria partnership throughout the region.
Swart brings a wealth of diplomatic experience, having served in diverse capacities across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
Prior to this appointment, he was Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Chad and also served as Chargé d’Affaires in Chad, Congo, and Burundi.
His additional diplomatic postings include Baghdad, London, Manila, and Dubai, as well as key policy roles in Washington, D.C., focused on sub-Saharan Africa.
Before joining the U.S. State Department in 2002, Swart worked on architectural and design projects in Asia and Africa and served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali.
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Swart expressed eagerness to collaborate with Ambassador David Greene and other stakeholders at the U.S. Embassy in Abuja to further solidify diplomatic and developmental ties between the two nations.
