The abolition of slavery in Nigeria was neither swift nor absolute. It unfolded gradually across the 19th and 20th centuries, shaped by global abolitionist campaigns, British colonial expansion, and local community responses. Although colonial proclamations outlawed slave trading by the early 1900s, domestic servitude and coerced labour persisted for decades. Its legacies continue to influence Nigerian society today.
Slavery in Pre-Colonial Nigeria.
Before European contact, slavery existed in many Nigerian societies, though it differed from transatlantic chattel slavery. Domestic slavery dominated, with enslaved persons working in households, farms, and workshops. Some were assimilated into families, but lacked equal rights. War captives and debt slavery were major sources, while ritual use of slaves appeared in some communities.
From the late 15th century, European traders intensified demand. By the 17th and 18th centuries, large numbers, especially from Yoruba, Igbo, Efik, and Hausa-speaking groups, were exported across the Atlantic. This trade destabilised kingdoms, reshaped demographics, and altered political systems.
Decline of the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
The 19th century marked global change. Britain outlawed the trade in 1807, deploying the Royal Navy’s West Africa Squadron to intercept slavers. Thousands of freed captives were resettled in Sierra Leone, with their descendants, the Saro, later returning to Nigeria carrying Christian, educational, and anti-slavery ideals.
At the same time, Britain promoted “legitimate commerce,” especially palm oil, which replaced slaves as the main export. Despite this shift, slavery within Nigerian societies persisted.
Colonial Expansion and Legal Abolition of Slavery.
Abolition came in stages. When Lagos was annexed in 1861, the slave trade was formally banned, but emancipation remained slow, many enslaved people lived in modified dependency.
Further inland, treaties curbed slave trading, though enforcement was weak. King Jaja of Opobo resisted British dominance over palm oil, not slavery itself, and his exile in 1887 reflected economic rather than abolitionist tensions.
Colonial consolidation in the early 20th century brought wider declarations. In 1901 the Protectorate of Northern Nigeria issued a proclamation against slavery, followed by Southern Nigeria in 1903. These proclamations, however, targeted the trade more than existing servitude. Many remained bound to masters as “apprentices,” a transitional status that often lasted decades.
Agents of Change.
Individuals and groups shaped abolition. Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther, once enslaved, became the first African Anglican bishop and promoted Christian education and commerce without slavery.
The Saro and Amaro (ex-slaves returning from Sierra Leone and Brazil) settled in Lagos and other towns, spreading literacy and enterprise.
Herbert Macaulay, an early nationalist, was not primarily an abolitionist, but criticised colonial taxation, land seizures, and governance, highlighting contradictions in Britain’s claims of “freedom” while enforcing coercion.
Persistence of Slavery and Forced Labour.
Despite legal prohibitions, slavery lingered. In Northern Nigeria, enslavement and raiding continued into the 1920s and 1930s. Under indirect rule, colonial administrators often tolerated such practices to preserve alliances with emirs and chiefs.
Meanwhile, the colonial economy introduced new coercions. Compulsory labour on roads, railways, and plantations blurred the line between slavery and “free” work. In practice, colonial authority replaced private enslavement with state-enforced obligations.
Legacies in Post-Abolition Nigeria.
The impact of slavery lasted long after legal abolition. In parts of Northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt, descendants of slaves still face social stigma, especially regarding leadership, marriage, and land rights.
Economically, abolition tied Nigeria more tightly to the global economy. Cash crops like cocoa, palm oil, and groundnuts became export staples. While creating wage labour, these industries reinforced inequalities and colonial dependency.
Modern Exploitation.
Though slavery in its older forms has largely disappeared, exploitation continues. Nigeria remains a source, transit, and destination for human trafficking. Children are forced into hazardous farm and street labour, while adults are trafficked abroad for servitude and sexual exploitation. Debt bondage in agriculture and mining echoes older systems of control.
Why This History Matters.
Abolition in Nigeria was not a single event but a contested process. Recognising this past explains present inequalities and modern exploitation. Struggles for dignity and freedom remain central to Nigeria’s history.
Author’s Note.
The end of slavery in Nigeria was shaped by colonial law, indigenous responses, and economic transitions. British proclamations marked legal milestones, but freedom was phased in unevenly, with some forms of servitude lingering until the mid-20th century. Today, the persistence of trafficking and coerced labour shows slavery’s legacies remain an unfinished chapter in Nigeria’s history.
References:
Lovejoy, P. E. Transformations in Slavery: A History of Slavery in Africa. Cambridge University Press, 2012.
Falola, T., & Heaton, M. A History of Nigeria. Cambridge University Press, 2008.
Afeadie, P. A. “The Hidden Hand of Overrule? British Parliamentary Debates on the Suppression of Slavery in Northern Nigeria, 1897–1914.” African Economic History, Vol. 28, 2000.
