Colonial Nigeria
Explore Nigeria’s colonial era (c. 1861–1960), from the annexation of Lagos and the Royal Niger Company to the 1914 amalgamation and the road to independence. This category examines British administration, missionary education, commerce and railways, taxation and labor, cultural change and urban life, and the rise of nationalist movements, including women’s protests, unions, and political parties. Discover biographies, key events, and documents that reveal resistance, collaboration, and everyday experiences across Nigeria’s regions.
The 1950 Ikeja Airport Photo That Captures BOAC’s “Homer” Refuelling in Lagos
On 8 October 1950, a photograph taken at Ikeja Airport, Lagos captured a straightforward operational scene, a BOAC four engine aircraft, registered G-ALOP and...
West African Airways Corporation, Complete History of WAAC and the Birth of Nigeria Airways
In the decade after the Second World War, air travel in British West Africa shifted from scattered services into a coordinated regional system. That...
From Colonial Mail to National Service, The General Post Office, Marina, Lagos Island
On Marina, Lagos Island, the General Post Office has long stood as a landmark many people recognise, even if they have never stepped inside....
A Policeman in Ibadan During the Late Colonial Era of Nigerian Law Enforcement
A uniformed policeman stands outside a sturdy masonry building, his posture formal, his presence unmistakably official. The detail that draws the eye is the...
Creek Hospital, Lagos: From Colonial Roots to Modern Healthcare Legacy
Creek Hospital, located in Onikan, Lagos Island, is one of Nigeria’s historic medical institutions, with origins dating back to the 1880s. Established to provide...
British American Tobacco in Nigeria, From Colonial Trading Post to Market Dominance
In the early twentieth century, Lagos stood at the centre of West Africa’s commercial life. Ships arrived daily with manufactured goods destined for markets...
Margaret Gentle Harwood and Queen’s College Lagos
In June 1959, a formal photograph taken at Queen’s College Lagos captured a scene that reflected the character of elite girls’ education in late...
Queen’s College, Lagos, in June 1959, A Science Lesson That Captured a Generation
In June 1959, a camera captured an ordinary but powerful classroom scene at Queen’s College, Lagos. The photograph shows a science lesson in progress,...
Colonial Rule in Nigeria, From Coastal Trade to Independence (1861, 1960)
Long before colonial rule, the area now called Nigeria was not a single political unit. It contained powerful states, emirates, city states, and independent...
Inside Kingsway Lagos, The Department Store That Shaped Broad Street Retail
In the mid twentieth century, Broad Street on Lagos Island stood at the centre of formal commerce in the city. Banks, shipping firms, trading...