The evolution of British colonialism and the 1906 amalgamation of Nigeria

Abstract

British colonization project in Nigeria went through different phases: the bombardment and annexation of Lagos, the amalgamation of trading companies in the lower Niger, and issuance of a charter to the Royal Niger Company, and the revocation of the charter. This paper historicizes the processes leading to British colonial rule in Nigeria. It examines the activities of George Taubman Goldie, who amalgamated the trading companies in the region and signed treaties with the different ethnic groups, making it possible for Britain to colonize a vast territory that is now part of Nigeria. The paper argues that the 1906 amalgamation of Southern Nigeria and the Lagos colony was the most significant step in creating modern colonial Nigeria, not the 1914 amalgamation often celebrated in Nigeria’s history.