The United Kingdom Government has appointed Richard Montgomery as the new British High Commissioner to Nigeria.

His appointment was  announced in a statement on Tuesday.  He succeeds Catriona Laing who has been the UK’s representative in Nigeria since November 2018.

According to the statement, Laing will be transferred to another diplomatic service appointment.

The High Commissioner is the UK government’s representative in a commonwealth nation.

They are in charge of the direction and work of the consulate, including political relations, trade and investment, press and cultural relations, and visa and consular services.

Montgomery’s past experiences includes 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.

Mongomery has a Ph.D in social anthropology from the University of Cambridge, alongside other research-related qualifications from GKW Consult Mannheim and Manchester University.

He is expected to begin his new role in April 2023.