Following the completion of the tenure of former British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ms. Catriona Laing, the UK government Thursday, appointed Dr. Richard Montgomery as the new High Commissioner. He has already presented his credentials to President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House.
According to the statement issued by the High Commission, Richard is an experienced diplomat who has previously worked in Nigeria and other parts of the world.
Prior to his new appointment, he 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.
But prior to these operational roles, Montgomery was the 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.
“He is married to Naheed and 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 is great to be back in Nigeria and I am very excited about this new role. I look forward to working with people in government, in the private sector and in civil society to advance the UK’s work in supporting a more prosperous Nigeria.”
