Adedapo Adesanya
By Adedapo Adesanya
The United Kingdom Government has appointed Mr Richard Montgomery as the new British High Commissioner to Nigeria.
The UK government announced his appointment in a statement on Tuesday, and he will succeed Ms Catriona Laing, who has been the UK’s representative in Nigeria since November 2018.
According to the statement, Ms Laing will be transferred to another diplomatic service appointment.
The High Commissioner is the UK government’s representative in a commonwealth nation. It is the equivalent of an ambassador, and since Nigeria is a former colony of the UK, the country has a High Commissioner instead of an ambassador.
The High Commissioner is charged with the direction and work of the consulate, including political relations, trade and investment, press and cultural relations, and visa and consular services.
Mr Montgomery’s past experiences include Counsellor (development) and Head of Office, Department for International Development (DFID), Abuja, from 2009-2013.
He has also held executive development roles in Zambia, Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan.
His most recent post was the UK executive director for the World Bank Group in Washington.
He has a PhD in social anthropology from the University of Cambridge, alongside other research-related qualifications from GKW Consult Mannheim and Manchester University.
Mr Montgomery is expected to begin his new role in April 2023.
