Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The United States Mission in Nigeria has appointed Brandon Hudspeth as the new Consul General at the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos.
Hudspeth will serve a three-year term as the senior U.S. government representative overseeing diplomatic affairs across 17 states in southern Nigeria.
He succeeds Rick Swart, who retired from the U.S. Foreign Service in July.
A career diplomat and member of the U.S. Senior Foreign Service, Hudspeth is returning to Lagos for a second tour of duty.
He previously served at the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos as Chief of the Political-Economic Section from 2020 to 2022.
His new assignment comes as the United States continues to strengthen diplomatic and bilateral relations with Nigeria, particularly across the southern region.
“I am honored to return to Lagos as the U.S. Consul General,” Hudspeth said.
“I know firsthand the strength of the U.S.-Nigeria partnership and the extraordinary energy, ingenuity, and entrepreneurial spirit that Nigerians and Americans share.”
He said he looked forward to reconnecting with old friends, building new partnerships and working with Nigerians to expand trade and investment, promote innovation and strengthen cooperation in the technology and creative industries.
According to him, these efforts would help create new opportunities and promote shared prosperity between Nigeria and the United States.
Hudspeth brings about two decades of diplomatic experience across Africa, Asia, Latin America and Washington.
Before his Lagos posting, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Windhoek, Namibia.
His previous assignments include Director of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement at the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines, where he oversaw U.S. civilian assistance programmes supporting law enforcement, rule of law, counter-narcotics efforts and maritime security cooperation.
He also served as Political-Economic Section Chief in Bamako, Mali; Nonimmigrant Visa Chief in Havana, Cuba; and Political-Military Officer in Kabul, Afghanistan.
In Washington, D.C., Hudspeth has held several key positions at the U.S. Department of State, including assignments with the Operations Center and the Secretariat Staff, where he supported the Secretary of State.
He also served as a Desk Officer in the Bureau of African Affairs.
A native of Texas, Hudspeth earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Economics from Morehouse College.
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, where he graduated as a Distinguished Graduate.
According to the U.S. Mission, Hudspeth’s appointment is expected to further strengthen diplomatic and economic relations between Nigeria and the United States.
