An Assessment of the Economic Activities of the Society of Nigeria Area in the 15th and 19th Centuries

Abstract

Nigeria is located in West Africa, has a rich economic history dating back centuries. The history of the country has featured many waves of human travel from across the Sahara Desert which has never been a complete hurdle between the lands to the north and south of the Desert. This study seeks to examine the nature of indigenous economic activities of the people of Nigeria society in the 15th and 19th centuries and its main aim is to provide background knowledge of the economic history of the inhabitants of Nigerian regions. This study indicates that agriculture was the mainstay of the people. Other economic and occupational activities that determined the economy included fishing, blacksmithing, mineral mining and manufacturing, etc. This is because agriculture was the mainstay of the Nigerian economy. However, activities such as gathering, hunting, fishing and pastoralism provided room for the exchange of goods among people. Indeed, gathering and hunting are regarded as economic activities mainly because, at a stage of development, some people subsisted on them, but with time they became only supplementary to agriculture. These economic developments aid the commercialisation of the Nigerian economy during the period under investigation. However, contact with the Europeans in the 15th century exposed Nigeria to new models and perspectives of economic development in the various regions of the country to produce more export crops production in feeding European industries.

Keywords: Economic activities, Economic history, Geography, Society, Nigeria.