Montgomery succeeds Laing as British High Commissioner to Nigeria

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

The top diplomat presented his credentials to President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday at the State House in Abuja.

Dr Montgomery takes over from Ms Catriona Laing who recently concluded her four-year tenure as High Commissioner.

The new commissioner previously worked in Nigeria, Zambia, Bangladesh, and India. He was the UK Executive Director at the World Bank Group Board from 2018 to 2022.

He held positions in the Department of International Development (DFID) including Director for Asia, Caribbean & Overseas Territories, Country Director for Pakistan, and Country Director in Nigeria (2009 to 2013).

Montgomery was Deputy Director for Corporate Human Resources and Deputy Head of DFID’s Top Management Group.

The envoy, who is married to Naheed and together have two children, said it’s great to be back in Africa’s most populous nation.

“I look forward to working with the people of this great country…to do all I can to help build a more prosperous Nigeria and strengthen the partnership between our countries,” he noted.