Anna Westerholm
Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Anna Westerholm, is an ambassador, foreign service expert, head of mission, diplomat and the Swedish ambassador to Nigeria.[1][2] She has served as a diplomat in various regions, including Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Russia,[3] and currently serves in Nigeria and Cameroon through her appointment as ambassador. In 2025, she officially resumed her duties in Abuja as the Swedish ambassador to Nigeria.[4]
Anna Westerholm | |
|---|---|
| Born | Sweden |
| Education | Uppsala University |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Organization | Embassy of Sweden, Abuja |
| Known for | Diplomat |
| Title | Ambassador of Sweden to Nigeria |
| Website | https://www.swedenabroad.se/en/embassies/nigeria-abuja/about-us/embassy-staff/ |
Education
Anna Westerholm completed both her bachelor's and master's degrees at Uppsala University in Sweden. There, she obtained a bachelor's degree in social science and Russian studies and a master's degree in social science, development studies and Eastern European affairs. She also studied in Russia in 1992, where she obtained a diploma in the Russian language.[5][better source needed][3]
Career
As a career diplomat, Westerholm served as Sweden's Ambassador for the Eastern Partnership from 2016 to 2022, during which she also worked as Director and Deputy Head of the Department for Multilateral Development Cooperation at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs (MFA). She has also worked as an intelligence analyst focusing on the Caucasus and Central Asia and has held several positions with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Estonia, Georgia, and the Republic of Moldova.[3]
Her experience is not limited to diplomacy, as she has also served on boards.[3] Since assuming her role as Swedish ambassador to Nigeria, she has called for stronger Nordic–Nigerian partnerships that could foster a long-term ecosystem for innovation and digital transformation.[6] In 2026, she led a Nordic delegation to the Enugu Tech Festival[7] alongside the Consul-General of Denmark.[8][9]
In January 2026, Westerholm led a delegation visiting the Nigeria recording label Chocolate City.[10][11] In February 2026, she visited the University of Nigeria.[12] The visit aligns with Sweden's sustained support for the Resource and Environmental Policy Research Center and the Environment for Development (REPRC-EfD).[13][14]
She has described gender equality as a "cornerstone of democracy", saying that violence against women and girls "often silences their voices and undermines democratic values".[15][16]