The Royal Niger Company (RNC) and the Founding of Nigeria, 1879-1914.

Abstract

The paper examines the complex historical processes during the 18th and 19th centuries that culminated in the founding of modern Nigeria. It argues that the abolition of the slave trade and the subsequent introduction and promotion of legitimate trade and commerce in the 19th century by Christian missionaries and imperial companies due primarily to the industrial revolution which started in Britain and created the need for raw materials which were available in Africa to feed their home industries, holds the key to understanding the formation of Nigeria in 1914. It utilised both primary and secondary sources of research to show how the era of the new imperialism which was characterised by trade monopoly engendered company rule by European merchants which were later chattered to act on behalf of the governments in acquired territories. The study contends that the Royal Niger Company (RNC) led by George Goldie, which was chattered to acquire and rule territories on behalf of the crown not only secured British imperial interest in the area now called Nigeria but also made it possible for the British to shrug off intense rivalry from France and Germany, their arch rivals. To this end, it may be safe to argue that Fredrick Lord Lugard’s amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates in 1914 which gave birth to modern Nigeria, only built on the foundation which George Goldie and his company, the RNC had already laid.
Key Words: Royal Niger Company, Founding, Nigeria, Company Rule, Monopoly