By: Abdulmalik Adetola Lawal
The interaction between Nigerians and Europeans dates back to the 15th century when Portuguese traders arrived in the Niger Delta region.
Establishing relationships with the Benin Kingdom, they influenced local languages through trade, with the slave trade dominating their activities. Eventually, the English supplanted the Portuguese, transporting enslaved Africans to plantations.
The cessation of the slave trade marked the beginning of the “Scramble for Africa,” culminating in Britain’s invasion of Lagos in 1861. Colonial authorities introduced the indirect rule system and amalgamated the northern and southern protectorates for administrative ease.
Colonialism had multifaceted impacts on Nigeria, influencing religion, education, and agriculture. Before colonization, Nigerian farmers primarily practiced subsistence farming, relying on crude tools and manual labor. Families worked together, planting a variety of food crops for sustenance.
However, the colonial government redirected this system to serve its economic interests, prioritizing cash crops like oil palm, groundnuts, and cocoa.
These crops were essential for European industries, producing items such as oil and margarine. By 1921, palm produce exports from Nigeria had reached 66,000 tons, rising to 497,000 tons by 1951. In 1938 alone, palm oil exports earned £981,330, and groundnuts brought in £1,305,828.
Traditional agricultural practices, such as agroforestry and mixed cropping, ensured sustainable farming by preserving soil nutrients and preventing flooding.
In contrast, the colonial system promoted monocropping, which degraded soil, increased vulnerability to pests, and contributed to environmental issues like air and water pollution.
This shift disrupted food security, as land previously used for food crops was reserved for cash crops. Subsistence farmers received little support, and research institutes primarily focused on cash crops, leaving food crop development neglected.
Infrastructure developments, such as railways and roads, further entrenched colonial economic interests. The first railway, built in 1898, connected Lagos to Ibadan, facilitating the transportation of cash crops to coastal ports for export.
While these projects primarily served British economic goals, they also reduced crop wastage and improved transportation for local farmers.
The introduction of new crops boosted Nigeria’s agricultural economy. Cash crops like coffee and tea, not originally grown in Nigeria, gained prominence due to colonial research efforts. For instance, tea plantations such as those on the Mambilla Plateau in Taraba State and in Cross River State became significant contributors to Nigeria’s tea production.
Although Nigeria’s tea production currently meets only 10% of domestic demand, opportunities for expansion remain, particularly through government investment and partnerships with large tea plantations.
Despite these economic gains, the colonial focus on cash crops came at the expense of food security. Farmers were compelled to grow export-oriented crops, causing food shortages and famine.
For example, in 1918, increased cultivation of cotton and groundnuts reduced the production of staple foods like corn, exacerbating food insecurity—a challenge that persists in Nigeria to this day.
The legacy of colonial agriculture is a complex interplay of economic development and systemic challenges. While colonialism introduced infrastructure and export opportunities, it disrupted traditional farming systems and created long-lasting deficits in food production. Addressing these historical imbalances remains crucial for Nigeria’s agricultural and food security strategies.