Abstract
The research examines the impact of British policies in undermining the trans-Saharan trade. The paper reassesses the position of the Northern Nigerian economy in relation to the new economic order introduced by the British. Issues discussed include the re-orientation in relation to the merchants; the basic concepts of colonial economy as defined by the British in Northern Nigeria. In addition, the paper highlights the colonial economy as distorted, characterized by the over growth of certain sectors needed by the colonial state i.e., foreign trade, while sectors connected with the indigenous markets i.e., cottage based production, local, regional or the trans-Saharan trade were neglected. In a nut shell, those activities (like the trans-Saharan trade) which could compete with colonial commerce or production were discouraged and prohibited directly or indirectly. In this respect, the trans-Saharan trade between Central Sudan and North Africa was stagnated during the colonial days and apparently, it was the same with trade within the West African sub-region. The distinctive feature in this context of an imperial economic system is that the colonial state had, within limits, created the formal framework for development in Northern Nigeria. This was what happened in the relationship between the mercantile class, the peasantry and the large expatriate firms who were backed by the colonial state and gained monopoly position to trade in raw materials and achieving their goals.
Highlights
Economic historians generally agreed that a sound economy is characterized by development in all facet of economic life, and diversified with a high level of development in various sectors
In the context of the political economy of Hausa land (Northern Nigeria) under colonial over-rule, when one considers the economy of a people as the sum total of what they do for a living, there was the overgrowth of some economic activities at the expense of others, which illustrates a gross distortion in terms of growth
The British colonial economic policies impacted greatly on the mode of production, manufacture, and free economic choice of the people of Northern Nigeria by creating massive export expansionism of raw material in favor of Britain and its merchant companies. This export expansion was marked by an extensive commoditization of the Northern Nigerian economy of goods they deemed exportable
Summary
Economic historians generally agreed that a sound economy is characterized by development in all facet of economic life, and diversified with a high level of development in various sectors. The loss of life is put down at 210 killed on both sides, amongst who are twelve Tripolitans, some of them the best known and most experienced caravan leaders of Tripoli [12] In another instance, the Provincial governor of Kano, Dr Cargill reported in 1907 on the enormous caravans of goods that continued to traverse the province towards the desert side: The colonial state was worried about the import trade, more especially the traffic of items they felt should have been monopolized by British companies. The new economic and commercial order of the colonial political economy was characterized largely by the export of raw materials and the importation of English manufactured goods To understand this new economic order, one must look into its effect t on certain trades and products in Northern Nigeria. COMPARATIVE PRICES OF SALTS IN NORTHERN NIGERIA [HAUSA LAND] IN THE EARLY COLONIAL ERA [17; 21]
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