Ambassador of Ireland to Nigeria
Peter Ryan
Welcome message
A Chairde/Dear Friends,
Fáilte - Welcome to the website of the Embassy of Ireland to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which is also accredited to Benin, Cote D’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo and to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). I hope that you will follow the work of Team Ireland through this website and through our official Twitter @IrlEmbNigeria and Facebook account.
My name is Peter Ryan, and I formally assumed my role as Ambassador of Ireland in January 2023 when I presented the Letter of Credence to H.E. President Buhari. I am very much looking forward over the coming period to presenting credentials in the neighbouring nations.
It is my privilege to serve in a country with which Ireland enjoys a special and deep-rooted relationship. In particular, I do so mindful of the enormous contribution of our Missionaries here, dating back far beyond independence in 1960, particularly in the areas of health and education. Today, though few of our Missionaries remain here, their legacy lives on in the work of the many hospitals, clinics, schools and community organisations they built, often in extremely challenging circumstances, and even more so in the lives of the generations of people impacted.
Team Ireland works to build on that positive legacy, to enhance our partnership with the people of Nigeria and to deepen and broaden our understanding of this dynamic and complex country, the largest in Africa and one of the largest democracies in the world.
A feature of recent decades has been the arrival in Ireland of many people of Nigerian heritage, who likewise have made very special and distinctive contributions to our society. In the cultural, sporting and business spheres a new generation of Irish people of Nigerian heritage are making their mark, forging new cultural pathways for others to follow. We also welcome many Nigerians each year who travel to Ireland to study and to visit family and friends. I greatly value these people-to-people connections and will be working to build new collaborations and to enhance existing networks for the mutual benefit of our nations.
We will look to bring a partnership approach to every aspect of our work in the political, economic, humanitarian and development, cultural and education sectors. If we are going to achieve our potential here, we will need your support and I would encourage you to engage with Team Ireland members in Abuja, with our Honorary Consul Connie Guilfoyle in Lagos, the Bord Bia (Irish Food Board) and Enterprise Ireland representatives in Lagos and our Honorary Consul Len Comerford in Accra, Ghana. We look forward to hearing from you so please do not hesitate to get in touch with me or my Team Ireland colleagues if you wish to discuss any aspect of our work here.
Le gach dea-ghuí, with best wishes,
Peter Ryan
Ambassador