US President Donald Trump has ordered the recall of Richard Mills, the United States ambassador to Nigeria, as part of a sweeping reshuffle of American diplomatic postings.
Mills, who was confirmed as ambassador to Nigeria last May, is among nearly 30 ambassadors and senior embassy officials being rotated out of their positions worldwide.
His recall comes against the backdrop of increasingly strained US–Nigeria relations, marked by visa disputes and security concerns.
US officials described the move as part of a broader effort to realign American diplomatic representation abroad with President Trump’s “America First” agenda.
State Department officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the diplomats affected were originally appointed under the Biden administration and will now complete their tenures in January.
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While the ambassadors will be free to take up other roles in Washington if they choose, their current postings as chiefs of mission will end.
Africa has been hit hardest by the reshuffle, with envoys from 13 countries, including Nigeria, Burundi, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Uganda, among those recalled.
Other affected regions include the Asia‑Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, South Asia and the Western Hemisphere.
The State Department has framed the changes as routine.
It described the shake‑up as a “standard process in any administration,” stressing that ambassadors serve at the pleasure of the president and are expected to advance the administration’s policy priorities.