The United States Mission in Nigeria has announced the arrival of Brandon Hudspeth as the new Consul General at the US Consulate General in Lagos.

Hudspeth will serve a three-year term as the senior US government representative covering 17 states in southern Nigeria. He succeeds Rick Swart, who retired from the US Foreign Service in July.

According to the US Consulate General Lagos Press Office, Hudspeth is a career member of the US Senior Foreign Service and is returning to Lagos for his second posting. He previously served as Political-Economic Section Chief at the consulate from 2020 to 2022.

“I am honoured to return to Lagos as the U.S. Consul General. I know firsthand the strength of the U.S.-Nigeria partnership and the extraordinary energy, ingenuity, and entrepreneurial spirit that Nigerians and Americans share,” Hudspeth said.

He said he looked forward to reconnecting with old friends and developing new partnerships, while working with Nigerians to strengthen relations between both countries.

Hudspeth said his priorities would include expanding trade and investment, promoting innovation, deepening cooperation in the technology and creative sectors, and creating new opportunities for shared economic growth.

He has about two decades of diplomatic experience across Africa, Asia, Latin America and Washington, DC. Before his Lagos appointment, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Windhoek, Namibia.

His previous postings included Director of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement at the US Embassy in the Philippines, Political-Economic Section Chief in Bamako, Mali, Nonimmigrant Visa Chief in Havana, Cuba, and Political-Military Officer in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Hudspeth, a native of Texas, holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Economics from Morehouse College, a Master of Public Policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School and a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from the National Defense University.