Describe the demerits of the colonial economic system in Nigeria during the 20th century.

This was not a popular question.  While some candidates recognizedsome of the demerits of British colonial economic policy, some went offthe mark by discussing irrelevant points.  However, some intelligent candidates produced balanced and outstanding answers in the way they handled the question and consequently scored high marks.  Those good candidates were able to describe the following points:

• the colonialists promoted the growing of cash crops at the expense of staple food crops;
• there was encouragement of mass importation of European manufactured goods to Nigeria to replace indigenous ones;
• Nigerian traders were displaced by European traders and their agents;
• credit facilities were not given to Nigerians, etc.