Colonial legacy remains central to growing calls for economic justice in Nigeria, as Pan-African scholars, politicians and human rights advocates argue that the country's present development challenges cannot be fully understood without examining the economic structures established under British rule.
More than six decades after independence in 1960, Nigeria remains caught in a troubling contradiction: enormous natural resources coexist with widespread poverty, unemployment, inadequate infrastructure and limited industrial capacity.
For critics of colonialism, this contradiction reflects an economic system historically designed to serve British commercial interests rather than build an independent Nigerian industrial economy.
Under British administration, Nigeria became an important supplier of agricultural commodities and raw materials, including cocoa, palm oil, groundnuts and cotton, while British manufactured products dominated important sections of its markets.
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The resulting export-oriented economic structure encouraged dependence on imported finished goods rather than domestic manufacturing, technological innovation and industrial self-sufficiency.
Pan-African historian Walter Rodney, in his influential 1972 book, How Europe Underdeveloped Africa, argued that European economic advancement and African underdevelopment were historically interconnected.
Rodney wrote: "The true explanation lies in seeking out the relationship between Africa and certain developed countries and in recognizing that it is a relationship of exploitation."
His argument continues to influence discussions about colonial extraction, unequal international trade and Africa's struggle for economic sovereignty.
Education was another important dimension of colonial economic policy. Nigeria's Yaba Higher College, established in 1932 and opened in 1934, provided technical and professional training but did not enjoy full university status. University College Ibadan was eventually established in 1948.
Critics argue that limited access to advanced education and technical expertise contributed to the difficulties Nigeria faced in developing an independent industrial economy.
Today, the consequences of economic dependence remain visible.
According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), poverty in Nigeria reached 63 per cent in 2025 under the national poverty measure, representing approximately 140 million people.
Manufacturing also remains relatively weak, while Nigeria continues importing substantial quantities of manufactured products despite possessing considerable petroleum, agricultural and mineral resources.
The country's oil wealth has not translated into broadly shared prosperity, raising questions about resource management, industrial policy and successive governments' economic priorities.
The reparations debate has added another dimension to the historical argument.
Some years ago, Nigerian Senator Prince Ned Nwoko presented a $5 trillion claim against Britain, seeking compensation for damage associated with colonial rule.
Nwoko has argued that historical acknowledgement must lead to restitution, reflecting wider African demands for accountability, cultural repatriation and economic justice.
However, colonial responsibility must also be examined alongside post-independence governance failures, corruption, infrastructure deficits and policy inconsistency.
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For Pan-African advocates, the objective is not permanent dependence on foreign assistance but genuine economic independence.
Through industrialisation, technological investment, local processing and stronger intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area, Nigeria can pursue a different development trajectory.
It is evidently clear that Britain is not ready to treat former colonies with respect. On 2 October 2026, no minister or official of the UK central government attended the gala dinner in London marking the 66th anniversary of Nigeria's independence.
Political independence came in 1960. But Economic liberation remains unfinished.
Kwinika is Editor in Chief, CAK News Africa
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