The United Kingdom government has appointed Dr Richard Montgomery (CMG) as the new British High Commissioner to Nigeria to replace Catriona Laing, who recently concluded four years as High Commissioner in Abuja.
According to a statement issued yesterday by Senior Communications and Public Diplomacy Officer at the British High Commission, Atinuke Akande-Alegbe , Dr Montgomery presented his credentials to President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House in Abuja, yesterday.
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The statement noted that Richard is an experienced diplomat who has worked in different parts of the world including previously in Nigeria. Prior to becoming the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard was the UK Executive Director at the World Bank Group Board from 2018 to 2022 in Washington DC, USA. He has held various senior positions in the Department of International Development (DFID). These included Director for Asia, Caribbean & Overseas Territories Division, Country Director for Pakistan, and prior to that Country Director in Nigeria from 2009 to 2013.
Prior to these operational roles Richard was Deputy Director for Corporate Human Resources and Deputy Head in DFID’s Top Management Group. Earlier in his career, he did postings in British High Commissions in Zambia, Bangladesh and India.
Richard is married to Naheed and together they have two children. He and his wife are looking forward to their second stay in Nigeria.
To mark his arrival Richard Montgomery said: “It’s great to be back in Nigeria. I look forward to working with the people of this great country, including those in government, in the private sector and in civil society, to do all I can to help build a more prosperous Nigeria and strengthen the partnership between our countries.