what was the name of nigeria before amalgamation in 1914

Before 1914, the area that later became Nigeria was not a single country with one name; instead it consisted of several distinct British‑controlled territories and protectorates.

Main names before 1914

By the early 1900s, the British administration in the region was divided mainly into:

• Protectorate of Northern Nigeria – the northern hinterland under indirect rule.

• Protectorate (later Colony and Protectorate) of Southern Nigeria – the southern areas, including the Niger Coast and later the Lagos Colony.

• Lagos Colony – a separate crown colony in the southwest until it was merged into Southern Nigeria in 1906.

Earlier and alternative labels

Before these formal protectorate names, the region was often referred to in different ways by the British and colonial companies, including:

• Royal Niger Company Territories – lands under the Royal Niger Company before the British government took over.

• Names like “Central Sudan” , “Niger Empire” , or “Hausa Territories” were also suggested or used informally at various points.

How “Nigeria” came into use

The name Nigeria was coined by British journalist Flora Shaw (later Lady Lugard) in the 1890s, from the Niger River (“Niger” + “area” → “Nigeria”).

When the Northern and Southern Protectorates were amalgamated on 1 January 1914 , the unified territory officially became the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria.

In short: Nigeria did not have a single pre‑1914 name; the area was a patchwork of protectorates and colonies, chiefly the Protectorate of Northern Nigeria and the Protectorate/Colony and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.