Brandon Hudspeth has assumed office as the new Consul General of the United States in Lagos, taking over from Rick Swart, who retired from the US Foreign Service in July 2026.
Hudspeth, a career diplomat and member of the US Senior Foreign Service, has begun a three-year assignment as the senior US government representative in the 17 southern states under the jurisdiction of the Lagos consulate.
His appointment represents a return to Nigeria, having previously served at the US Consulate General in Lagos as Political-Economic Section Chief from 2020 to 2022.
During his previous posting, he was involved in strengthening US engagement with Nigeria in areas including trade, governance and regional security.
Speaking after his arrival in Lagos, Hudspeth expressed his enthusiasm about returning to the country and continuing to contribute to the US-Nigeria relationship.
“I am honoured to return to Lagos as the US Consul General,” he said, adding that his previous experience in the country had given him a firsthand understanding of the strength of the bilateral partnership.
Hudspeth said the shared entrepreneurial spirit and creativity of Nigerians and Americans offered opportunities for deeper cooperation.
He identified the expansion of bilateral trade and investment as one of the key priorities of his tenure, alongside strengthening relationships with existing partners and establishing new ones.
“I look forward to working alongside Nigerians to drive innovation, strengthen collaboration in the technology and creative industries, and create new opportunities that advance shared prosperity for both countries,” he said.
Extensive diplomatic career
The new Consul General has more than 20 years of diplomatic experience, with assignments spanning Africa, Asia, Latin America and the United States.
Immediately before his Lagos posting, Hudspeth served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Windhoek, Namibia.
He previously headed the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement section at the US Embassy in Manila, Philippines, where he managed US civilian assistance programmes covering law enforcement, rule of law, counter-narcotics and maritime security cooperation.
His diplomatic career has also taken him to Bamako, Mali, where he served as Political-Economic Section Chief; Havana, Cuba, where he was Nonimmigrant Visa Chief; and Kabul, Afghanistan, where he worked as a Political-Military Officer.
In Washington, he served at the State Department's Operations Center and on the Secretariat Staff supporting the Secretary of State. He also worked as a Desk Officer in the Bureau of African Affairs.
Educational background
Hudspeth, who is from Texas, earned a bachelor's degree in Political Science and Economics from Morehouse College, where he graduated as a Phi Beta Kappa scholar.
He later obtained 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, graduating as a Distinguished Graduate.
The US Consulate General in Lagos oversees American diplomatic and consular activities across 17 states in southern Nigeria.
Its responsibilities include promoting trade and investment, providing consular services, facilitating educational exchanges and strengthening cooperation between the two countries in areas such as health, security and culture.
Hudspeth's return to Lagos comes as the United States and Nigeria seek to expand bilateral cooperation, particularly in trade, investment, technology and other areas of mutual interest.
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