The UK Government has announced the appointment of Mr Peter Vowles as the next British High Commissioner to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Mr Vowles succeeds Dr Richard Montgomery CMG and is expected to take up his post in Abuja in September 2026. Dr Montgomery remains in post until that time.

Mr Vowles brings extensive diplomatic and development experience to the role, having served as His Majesty’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe from 2023 to 2026 and previously as Ambassador to Myanmar from 2021 to 2022. He has held senior leadership positions across the FCDO and its predecessor department DFID, including as Transformation Director and Director for Asia, Caribbean and Overseas Territories.

Earlier in his career, Mr Vowles worked in international development across South Asia, Central Africa and East Africa, including postings in Bangladesh, India, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya. He began his career in Zimbabwe, where he worked in education and development.

Peter Vowles said:

“I am honoured to be appointed as British High Commissioner to Nigeria. Nigeria is a country of immense importance to the United Kingdom, and I look forward to working closely with Nigerian partners to strengthen our relationship across trade, development and security.”

Nigerian-born, Los Angeles-based artist Njideka Akunyili Crosby has captured global attention with her vibrant new portrait of former U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, unveiled as the first official joint painting of the couple for the Obama Presidential Center.

The artwork, titled The Obamas: Springing Forth, was revealed in a heartfelt video shared by the Obamas on social media. In the post, Michelle Obama expressed deep honor at commissioning the piece, praising Akunyili Crosby’s “artistic brilliance” and the way she infused “life and joy” into the composition.

“It was great joining @NjidekaAkunyiliCrosby — a gifted Nigerian-born, Los Angeles-based artist — to unveil our first portrait together,” Barack Obama wrote. “This piece reflects so many chapters of Michelle and my story, and we’re thrilled that it will be on display in the Hope and Change lobby at the Obama Presidential Center starting this Juneteenth.”

Akunyili Crosby, daughter of the late Dora Akunyili — Nigeria’s renowned former Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) — is known for her distinctive collage-style works that blend painting, photo transfers, and personal narratives. The portrait incorporates symbolic elements from the Obamas’ lives, including references to Michelle’s childhood home, a Harvard Law Review volume, and cultural touches like Stevie Wonder’s album.

The painting will greet visitors when the Obama Presidential Center opens to the public on Juneteenth (June 19, 2026) in Chicago’s South Side. Reactions have been largely positive, with many celebrating the representation of Black excellence and the artist’s Nigerian-American heritage, though some online commentators noted the work’s richly detailed, layered style.

This commission marks a significant milestone for Akunyili Crosby, a MacArthur Fellowship recipient, further elevating African diaspora voices in major American cultural institutions.

•UK, Prime Minister Keir Starmer

Children under 16 will be banned from using social media in the UK, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Monday, saying such platforms were making youngsters “unhappy”.

Some children’s charities welcomed the sweeping change, which is likely to trigger a major fight with US tech giants, but others warned it could make teenagers less safe online.

Starmer, likely to face a leadership challenge in the coming weeks, said social media sites were exposing children to content that is “dangerous” and “designed to be addictive”.

The ban will “include platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X” but not messaging services such as WhatsApp, the government said.

Some young people gave a mixed response to the move.

“I think it’s a good thing, to be honest, because I don’t even remember what age I was when I got Instagram, but it was just way too early,” student Connie Skitt, 19, told AFP in Buxton, central England.

“You’re making friends with people you don’t know. It’s like, not that safe.”But 18-year-old tour guide Tom Warvell expressed concerns that 16 was “a little bit high”, arguing younger teens were “a better age to focus on”.

“Times have changed so it is important for people to still be able to use it.”