Key points
- Vicky Seymour succeeds Gill Lever as UK Deputy High Commissioner in Abuja.
- She brings more than two decades of experience in diplomacy and international development.
- Seymour pledges to deepen UK-Nigeria cooperation across key sectors.
Main story
The United Kingdom Government has appointed Ms Vicky Seymour as its new Deputy High Commissioner in Abuja.
The appointment was announced on Thursday by the British High Commission, which said Seymour succeeds Mrs Gill Lever, who completed her tour of duty in June.
According to the mission, Seymour has assumed her duties in Abuja, where she will help strengthen the United Kingdom’s partnership with Nigeria across areas including economic growth, security, migration, development, international collaboration and people-to-people ties.
The High Commission said Seymour brings more than 20 years of experience in diplomacy, international development and public service.
Before her appointment, she served as Head of the East Africa Department at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), a position she held from 2023.
She also previously led the FCDO’s Trade Diplomacy Department and served as Development Director in Mozambique.
Before joining the UK civil service, Seymour worked in the not-for-profit sector, focusing on migration.
Reacting to her appointment, Seymour said she was pleased to begin her new assignment and looked forward to strengthening relations between both countries.
The issues
The appointment comes as the UK and Nigeria continue to deepen cooperation in trade, security, migration, development and other areas of mutual interest.
What’s being said
“I look forward to getting to know this extraordinary country, meeting people from across Nigeria’s diverse communities, and building on the strong partnership that already exists between our two countries,” Seymour said.
“Together, I hope we can continue creating opportunities for greater collaboration and links between our people in the years ahead.”
What’s next
Seymour will begin engaging with government officials, development partners and other stakeholders as she assumes her diplomatic responsibilities in Abuja.
Bottom line
The appointment of Vicky Seymour signals the UK’s commitment to sustaining and strengthening its longstanding partnership with Nigeria across key diplomatic, economic and development priorities.
