List of high commissioners of Australia to Nigeria

The high commissioner of Australia to Nigeria is an officer of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the head of the High Commission of the Commonwealth of Australia in Abuja, Nigeria. The position has the rank and status of an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary and is currently vacant, with the head of mission being Jonathan Ball as acting high commissioner and Chargé d’Affaires since July 2022. The ambassador also holds non-resident accreditation as high commissioner to The Gambia (1985–2004, since 2008), and Gabon (1988–1989; since 2010), and as ambassador to Benin (since 2010[1]), Cameroon (since 2002), and Niger (since 2009[2]), and as representative to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Non-resident accreditation was also previously held for Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, and Sierra Leone from 1985 to 2004, Chad (2007–2010), and the Republic of the Congo (2009–2015). The high commissioner also has responsibility for the honorary consulates of Australia in Lagos (since 2012) and Yaoundé (since 2014).[3]

High Commissioner of Australia to Nigeria
Incumbent
Jonathan Ball (acting)
since July 2022 (2022-07)
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
StyleHis Excellency
Reports toMinister for Foreign Affairs
ResidenceAbuja
NominatorPrime Minister of Australia
AppointerGovernor General of Australia
Inaugural holderLionel Phillips (Acting)
Formation10 September 1960
WebsiteAustralian High Commission, Nigeria

Posting history

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Immediately prior to the independence of Nigeria on 1 October 1960, Australia established a diplomatic mission in Lagos on 10 September 1960, with Lionel Phillips as acting commissioner, and then acting high commissioner from 1 October. On 8 November 1960, Robert Furlonger was appointed as the first Australian high commissioner to the Federation of Nigeria, who took up his appointment from 1 February 1961.[4][5]

High commissioners

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# Officeholder Other offices Term start date Term end date Time in office Notes
Lionel Phillips (Acting) n/a 10 September 1960 (1960-09-10) 1 February 1961 (1961-02-01) 144 days [6][7]
1 Robert Furlonger 1 February 1961 (1961-02-01) 23 April 1961 (1961-04-23) 81 days [4][8]
Thomas Venables Holland (Acting) 25 April 1961 (1961-04-25) 5 October 1961 (1961-10-05) 163 days [9]
2 Alan Renouf 5 October 1961 (1961-10-05) 17 March 1963 (1963-03-17) 1 year, 163 days [10][11]
Lionel Phillips (Acting) 22 March 1963 (1963-03-22) August 1965 (August 1965) 2 years, 4 months [12]
3 James Cumes August 1965 (1965-08) December 1967 (1967-12) 2 years, 4 months [13][14]
4 H. D. White December 1967 (1967-12) June 1970 (1970-06) 2 years, 6 months [15][16][17]
5 Pierre Hutton June 1970 (1970-06) June 1973 (1973-06) 3 years [18][19][20]
6 W. H. Bray June 1973 (1973-06) June 1976 (June 1976) 3 years [21][22]
7 W. Kevin Flanagan June 1976 (1976-06) November 1979 (1979-11) 3 years, 5 months [23]
8 Charles Mott November 1979 (1979-11) March 1983 (1983-03) 3 years, 4 months [24][25]
9 Allan Taylor ABCDE March 1983 (1983-03) June 1986 (1986-06) 3 years, 3 months [26]
10 Hugh Wyndham ABCDEF 11 June 1986 (1986-06-11) June 1989 (1989-06) 2 years, 11 months [27][28][29]
11 Oliver Cordell ABCDE 20 June 1989 (1989-06-20) April 1993 (1993-04) 3 years, 9 months [30][31]
12 Howard Brown ABCDE April 1993 (1993-04) September 1997 (1997-09) 4 years, 5 months [32][33]
13 Matthew Neuhaus ABCDE October 1997 (1997-10) January 2001 (2001-01) 3 years, 3 months [34]
14 Bob Whitty ABCDEG January 2001 (2001-01) February 2004 (2004-02) 3 years, 1 month [35]
15 Iain Dicke ABCDEG February 2004 (2004-02) February 2007 (2007-02) 3 years [36]
16 Jeffrey Hart EGHIJ February 2007 (2007-02) February 2010 (2010-02) 3 years [37]
17 Ian McConville EFGIJK July 2010 (2010-07) December 2012 (2012-12) 2 years, 5 months [38]
18 Jon Richardson EFGIJK January 2013 (2013-01) December 2015 (2015-12) 2 years, 11 months [39]
19 Paul Lehmann EFGIK December 2015 (2015-12) June 2019 (2019-06) 3 years, 6 months [40]
20 Claire Ireland EFGIK June 2019 (2019-06) January 2021 (2021-01) 1 year, 7 months [41]
21 John Donnelly EFGIK January 2021 (2021-01) July 2022 (2022-07) 1 year, 6 months [42]
Jonathan Ball (acting) EFGIK July 2022 (2022-07) Incumbent 2 years, 4 months

Notes

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^A Also non-resident high commissioner to Ghana, 1985–2004.
^B Also non-resident ambassador to Côte d'Ivoire, 1985–2004.
^C Also non-resident ambassador to Senegal, 1985–2004.
^D Also non-resident high commissioner to Sierra Leone, 1985–2004.
^E Also non-resident high commissioner to The Gambia, 1985–2004, 2008–present.
^F Also non-resident ambassador (1988–1989, 2010–2022) and high commissioner (2022–present) to Gabon.
^G Also non-resident ambassador to Cameroon, 2002–present.
^H Also non-resident ambassador to Chad, 2007–2010.
^I Also non-resident ambassador to Niger, 2009–present.
^J Also non-resident ambassador to the Republic of the Congo, 2009–2015.
^K Also non-resident ambassador to Benin, 2010–present.

References

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  1. ^ "Aussie News Issue 3" (PDF). Australian High Commission Abuja. December 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  2. ^ "Aussie News Issue 2" (PDF). Australian High Commission Abuja. June 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  3. ^ CA 7832: Australian High Commission, Nigeria [Abuja], National Archives of Australia, retrieved 15 April 2015
  4. ^ a b "Appointment of the High Commissioner to the Federation of Nigeria". Current Notes on International Affairs. 31 (11). Department of External Affairs: 665. November 1960. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  5. ^ "The Federation of Nigeria - Relations with Australia". Current Notes on International Affairs. 32 (3). Department of External Affairs: 15. March 1961. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  6. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 31 (9). Department of External Affairs: 522. September 1960. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  7. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 31 (10). Department of External Affairs: 609. October 1960. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  8. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 32 (1–2). Department of External Affairs: 112. January–February 1961. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  9. ^ "Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 32 (5). Department of External Affairs: 40. May 1961. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  10. ^ "Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 32 (9). Department of External Affairs: 58. September 1961. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  11. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 32 (10). Department of External Affairs: 70. October 1961. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  12. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 34 (3). Department of External Affairs: 55. March 1963. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  13. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 36 (1). Department of External Affairs: 59. January 1965. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  14. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 36 (8). Department of External Affairs: 523. August 1965. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  15. ^ "Australian High Commissioner in Nigeria". Current Notes on International Affairs. 38 (9). Department of External Affairs: 389. September 1967. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  16. ^ "Diplomat for Nigeria". The Canberra Times. 19 September 1967. p. 9.
  17. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 38 (12). Department of External Affairs: 574. December 1967. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  18. ^ "Envoy to Nigeria named". The Canberra Times. 16 February 1970. p. 3.
  19. ^ "Diplomatic appointments". Current Notes on International Affairs. 41 (2). Department of Foreign Affairs: 66. February 1970. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  20. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 41 (6). Department of Foreign Affairs: 378. June 1970. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  21. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 44 (2). Department of Foreign Affairs: 144. February 1973. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  22. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 44 (6). Department of Foreign Affairs: 436. June 1973. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  23. ^ "High Commissioner to Nigeria". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 47 (5). Department of Foreign Affairs: 275. May 1976. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  24. ^ "High Commissioner to Nigeria". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 50 (7). Department of Foreign Affairs: 440–441. July 1979. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  25. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 50 (11). Department of Foreign Affairs: 632. November 1979. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  26. ^ "High Commissioner to Nigeria". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 54 (1). Department of Foreign Affairs: 51. January 1983. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  27. ^ "High Commissioner to Nigeria". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 57 (6). Department of Foreign Affairs: 553. June 1986. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  28. ^ "New envoy appointed to Nigeria". The Canberra Times. 12 June 1986. p. 12.
  29. ^ "Non-resident Ambassador to Gabon". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 59 (7). Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: 296. July 1988. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  30. ^ Evans, Gareth (19 May 1989). "Diplomatic appointment: Nigeria" (Media Release). ParlInfo: Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  31. ^ "Cordell appointed". The Canberra Times. 25 May 1989. p. 13.
  32. ^ Evans, Gareth (2 March 1993). "Diplomatic appointment: Nigeria" (Media Release). ParlInfo: Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  33. ^ Evans, Gareth (12 November 1995). "Nigeria: Recall of the Australian High Commissioner" (Press release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  34. ^ Downer, Alexander (22 September 1997). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner to Nigeria" (Press release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  35. ^ Downer, Alexander (2 September 2000). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner to Nigeria" (Press release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  36. ^ Downer, Alexander (12 February 2004). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner to Nigeria" (Press release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  37. ^ Downer, Alexander (30 November 2006). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner to Nigeria" (Press release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015.
  38. ^ Smith, Stephen (19 July 2010). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner to Nigeria" (Press release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Archived from the original on 1 April 2015.
  39. ^ Carr, Bob (1 November 2012). "High Commissioner to Nigeria" (Press release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015.
  40. ^ Bishop, Julie (9 November 2015). "High Commissioner to Nigeria" (Press release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Archived from the original on 30 January 2016.
  41. ^ Payne, Marise (2 March 2019). "High Commissioner to Nigeria". Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Archived from the original (Media Release) on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  42. ^ Payne, Marise (18 February 2021). "High Commissioner to Nigeria". Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Archived from the original (Media Release) on 21 March 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
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