Colonial Nigeria

Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria
(1914–1954)
Federation of Nigeria^[1]
(1954–1960)
Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria; (1914–1954)Federation of Nigeria; (1954–1960)
1914–1960
	Flag; (1952–1960) Badge; (1952–1960)
	Anthem: God Save the King (1914–1952); God Save the Queen (1952–1960)
	Nigeria (red); British possessions in Africa (pink); 1914
Status	British colony
Capital	Lagos
Common languages	Yoruba · Hausa · Igbo · English and other regional languages
Religion	Christianity · Islam · Traditional beliefs
Government	Colony and protectorate; (1914–1954)Federation; (1954–1960)
British monarch
• 1914–1936	George V
• 1936	Edward VIII
• 1936–1952	George VI
• 1952–1960	Elizabeth II
Governor
• 1914–1919	Frederick Lugard
• 1955–1960	James Wilson Robertson
• 1919–1925	Hugh Clifford
• 1948–1954	John Stuart Macpherson
Legislature	Legislative Council; (1946–1951)House of Representatives; (1951–1960)
Historical era	World War I • Interwar period • World War II • Cold War
• Established	1 January 1914
• Autonomous federation	1 October 1954
• Independence	1 October 1960
Area
1924	872,050 km2 (336,700 sq mi)
1952	876,953 km2 (338,593 sq mi)
Population
• 1924	18,500,000
• 1952	31,156,027
Currency	British West African pound; (1914–1958)Nigerian pound; (1958–1960)
Time zone	UTC+1 (WAT)
Driving side	left
ISO 3166 code	NG
Preceded by	Succeeded by
	Northern Nigeria Protectorate
	Southern Nigeria Protectorate
Federation of Nigeria
Today part of	Nigeria; Cameroona
	^a Bakassi peninsula; governed by Nigeria until 2008;

Colonial Nigeria was ruled by the British Empire from the mid-nineteenth century until 1960 when Nigeria achieved independence.^[8] Britain annexed Lagos in 1861 and established the Oil River Protectorate in 1884. British influence in the Niger area increased gradually over the 19th century, but Britain did not effectively occupy the area until 1885. Other European powers acknowledged Britain's dominance over the area in the 1885 Berlin Conference.

From 1886 to 1899, much of the country was ruled by the Royal Niger Company, authorised by charter, and governed by George Taubman Goldie. In 1900, the Southern Nigeria Protectorate and Northern Nigeria Protectorate passed from company hands to the Crown. At the urging of Governor Frederick Lugard, the two territories were amalgamated as the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria, while maintaining considerable regional autonomy among the three major regions (Northern protectorate, Southern protectorate and the Colony of Lagos). Progressive constitutions after World War II provided for increasing representation and electoral government by Nigerians. The colonial period proper in Nigeria lasted from 1900 to 1960, after which Nigeria gained its independence.^[8]

^ ^a ^b "The Nigeria (Constitution) Order in Council, 1954" (PDF). p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 February 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
^ Ugorji, Basil (2012). From Cultural Justice to Inter-Ethnic Mediation: A Reflection on the Possibility of Ethno-Religious Mediation in Africa. Outskirts Press. p. 183. ISBN 9781432788353.
^ ^a ^b Armitage, John (1952). Britannica Book of the Year 1952: Events of 1951. London: Encyclopædia Britannica Ltd. p. 456.
^ Awa, Eme O. (1964). Federal Government in Nigeria. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press. p. 21.
^ Awa, Eme O. (1964). Federal Government in Nigeria. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press. p. 130.
^ ^a ^b "The British Empire in 1924". The British Empire. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
^ Darlington, Mgbeke (2009). Fundamentals of Public Administration: A Blueprint for Nigeria Innovative Public Sector. AuthorHouse. p. 29. ISBN 9781449024550.
^ ^a ^b "Nigeria - Independent Nigeria". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 22 January 2020.

[constitution1954-1] "The Nigeria (Constitution) Order in Council, 1954" (PDF). p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 February 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.

[2] Ugorji, Basil (2012). From Cultural Justice to Inter-Ethnic Mediation: A Reflection on the Possibility of Ethno-Religious Mediation in Africa. Outskirts Press. p. 183. ISBN 9781432788353.

[Britannica-3] Armitage, John (1952). Britannica Book of the Year 1952: Events of 1951. London: Encyclopædia Britannica Ltd. p. 456.

[4] Awa, Eme O. (1964). Federal Government in Nigeria. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press. p. 21.

[5] Awa, Eme O. (1964). Federal Government in Nigeria. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press. p. 130.

[TheEmpirein1924-6] "The British Empire in 1924". The British Empire. Retrieved 7 November 2017.

[7] Darlington, Mgbeke (2009). Fundamentals of Public Administration: A Blueprint for Nigeria Innovative Public Sector. AuthorHouse. p. 29. ISBN 9781449024550.

[Nigeria_-_Independent_Nigeria-8] "Nigeria - Independent Nigeria". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 22 January 2020.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]