The British government revoked the charter of the Royal Niger Company and took over the administration of Nigeria in which year?

Analyze the question: It asks for the year the British government revoked the Royal Niger Company's charter and took over administration of the territory.

Concept: The Royal Niger Company (led by George Taubman Goldie) received its royal charter in 1886. This gave it the power to administer and trade in the Niger area. Its monopoly caused conflicts with African middlemen, such as the Brass and Nembe (Akassa raid, 1895), and with rival European traders. These pressures, together with French and German competition in West Africa, pushed Britain to act.

Step-by-step solution:

1. 1861: Lagos was annexed as a colony. This is not related to the Royal Niger Company.
2. 1886: The Company was granted its charter. This is the start of its rule, not the end.
3. 1900: The British government revoked the charter and paid the Company £865,000 in compensation. The territory was split: • Northern Nigeria Protectorate, under Frederick Lugard as High Commissioner, formed from the Company's northern territories. • Southern territories were merged with the Niger Coast Protectorate to form the Southern Nigeria Protectorate.
4. 1914: Northern and Southern Nigeria were amalgamated by Lugard. This is a different event.

Answer: The charter was revoked on 1 January 1900, which is option B.

Tip: Remember the sequence 1886 → 1900 → 1914. The charter was granted in 1886, revoked in 1900, and the protectorates were amalgamated in 1914. For the date of the charter's end, think "the new century begins, the Company ends."