The British High Commissioner-designate to Nigeria, Pete Vowles, has arrived in Abuja to assume his new diplomatic assignment.

Vowles succeeds Richard Montgomery, who previously served as the United Kingdom’s High Commissioner to Nigeria.

In a statement issued by the British High Commission on Monday, Vowles said he was excited to be in Nigeria and would prioritise listening, learning and engaging with people across the country.

“I am hugely excited to be in Nigeria. My first priority is to listen and learn – to travel, meet people and immerse myself in this extraordinary country, its culture and its energy,” he said.

He said the relationship between Nigeria and the UK was built largely on strong people-to-people connections, adding that he looked forward to working with partners across the country to deepen bilateral relations.

Vowles was announced as the UK’s next High Commissioner to Nigeria on June 16, 2026.

He brings extensive diplomatic and development experience to the position, having most recently served as His Majesty’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe.

He previously served as Britain’s Ambassador to Myanmar and held diplomatic and development positions in Bangladesh, India, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya.

His arrival comes as Nigeria and the UK continue to maintain broad diplomatic, economic, security and development ties, with a large Nigerian diaspora community also living in Britain.