Abolition Act of 1807

The Transition from Slaves to Palm Oil: Economic Adaptation in the 19th Century

The 19th century marked a major turning point in West African economic history, particularly in the regions bordering the Niger Delta. For centuries, the trans-Atlantic slave trade had served as the economic foundation for several coastal polities, including the Itsekiri, Ijaw, Efik, Igbo, and other groups. However, the abolition of the slave trade by Britain…