| |
| 1852, Jan. 1 |
| |
| Akitoye, king of Lagos, signed a treaty with the British for the abolition of the slave trade. | 1 |
| |
| 1861, Aug. 6 |
| |
| After several decades of resisting new territorial acquisitions in West Africa, Britain proclaimed Lagos a Crown colony in order to control the key terminus of Yoruba trade routes. But despite the British move, French and German merchants continued to compete for economic advantage in the region. | 2 |
| |
| 1864 |
| |
| By the mid-1860s, the British suspended their antislave trade patrols. The slave trade was not over, but it had declined because of the rise in industrial capitalism and free labor ideologies and the decline of the slave plantation system in the Americas. | 3 |
| |
| 1872, April 6 |
| |
| The British gained control over Dutch forts in the Gold Coast. | 4 |
| |
| 1873–74 |
| |
| Second Asante War against the British. | 5 |
| |
| 1873, Feb 9 |
| |
| Asante forces defeated British troops at Assin Nyankumasi. | 6 |
| |
| 1874, Jan. 31 |
| |
| The British defeated the Asante at Amoafo. Sir Garnet Wolsely entered the Asante capital of Kumasi on Feb. 4. By the end of that year, the Asante confederation had been severely weakened by British military advances. | 7 |
| Consequent decline of the Asante. Asantehene Kofi Karikari was destooled and replaced by Mansa Bonsu. British incursions destabilized the Asante, encouraging palace intrigues and weakening of state power. | 8 |
| |
| 1876 |
| |
| Originally a missionary school, Fourah Bay College, the first Western institution of higher education in Africa, was established in Sierra Leone and affiliated with the University of Durham. Its students received the equivalent of British degrees. | 9 |
| |
| 1878 |
| |
| Under Cardinal Lavigérie, the White Fathers Mission was charged with Catholic missionary work in Africa. | 10 |
| |
| 1879 |
| |
| Cocoa was introduced into the Gold Coast from Fernando Po and San Tomé. | 11 |
| Sir George Goldie founded the United Africa Company (UAC). Under the UAC, Goldie brought together a number of smaller British firms. In 1886, the UAC became the Royal Niger Company and was given a charter to rule the region of Nigeria. | 12 |
| |
| 1883, Feb |
| |
| Asantehene Mansa Bonsu was deposed by Asante chiefs. Anarchy ensued in the kingdom. | 13 |
| |
| 1884, April |
| |
| Germany occupied Togo. | 14 |
| |
| |
