By Linus Aleke, Abuja
The United Kingdom (UK), has appointed
Mrs Gill Lever OBE as the British Deputy High Commissioner (DHC) in Abuja, Nigeria.
Senior Communications & Public Diplomacy Officer, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, British High Commission Abuja, Ms. Atinuke Akande-Alegbe, announced the new appointment in a statement in Abuja.
The statement said that Mrs Lever, takes over from Ms Gill Atkinson who recently concluded four years as Deputy High Commissioner in Abuja.
The new British diplomat is an experienced career diplomat who has worked in different parts of the world including Romania, India and Japan.
Prior to becoming the British Deputy High Commissioner (DHC) in Abuja, she served as the UK Deputy Head of Mission to Juba, South Sudan from 2022 – 2023.
“Before then, she served as the Head of Overseas Health and Welfare at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in London. In the UK, she has worked in a diverse range of roles including as Head of the Peacekeeping Team in the UN Department, Deputy Head of Southeast Asia Department and as a Human Resources Business Partner,” the statement further revealed.
Mrs Lever, the statement said was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by HM Queen Elizabeth II in 2021 for services to Health and Welfare and British Nationals while working on the front line of the Covid-19 pandemic response.
She has also worked in the voluntary sector, establishing child drowning prevention programmes, and raising funds for women’s and children’s projects in Vietnam.
Mrs Lever is married to Giles and together they have two children.
To mark her arrival, Gill Lever said: “I am delighted to be back in Nigeria. I was posted to Abuja 10 years ago with my husband and son and have such fond memories. I always knew I’d be back! I am excited about my new role as Deputy High Commissioner. I look forward to working with the talented High Commission team in Abuja, with colleagues in Lagos and in our other smaller posts across our Nigeria network, to deepen the special relationship between our two proud countries.”
