" Capitalism in the Colonies is a tremendously rich account of how African merchants in Lagos adapted to and shaped the processes of economic and political change in the region during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It brings together an astonishing array of primary sources--some rarely or perhaps even never used--to examine the shift to 'legitimate commerce' and the process of colonial expansion from the perspective of the African commercial class which made both of these changes possible. A remarkable contribution." -- Leigh Gardner, London School of Economics "This is an exciting, engaging, and highly original account of the development of capitalism in the colonial port city of Lagos, in particular the careers of Lagos merchants and their role in spreading capitalist institutions. The wide chronological scope and large sample of merchants sets this manuscript apart from others in the field."-- Laura Channing, Durham University " Capitalism in the Colonies is not just a work of brilliant scholarship, it's a time-travelling adventure into the heart of Nigeria's economic awakening, packed with more intrigue and entrepreneurial spirit than a Lagos street market."-- Johan Fourie, author of Our Long Walk to Economic Freedom "Africa's population is now close to 1.5 billion, bringing attention to its economy.

How does Africa grow today while still under colonial-type constraints? This masterpiece by A. G. Hopkins looks to history to provide a clue. He documents the activities of 116 colonial-era Nigerian entrepreneurs, overcomes the neglect of their skillful agency, and supersedes simplified Eurocentric doctrines with a coherent view of capitalism."-- Patrick Manning, author of A History of Humanity: The Evolution of the Human System " Capitalism in the Colonies is a richly documented, generously illustrated, and carefully organized insightful study of African business and society in West Africa's premier port-city from the 1850s to the early 1930s. Woven around three 'shocks' or epochal events in 1851, 1892, and 1914, and illuminated by numerous business biographies, it draws upon massive archival and court records, oral interviews conducted mainly in the 1960s, and contemporary newspapers. This book highlights African agency--innovation, resilience, and adaptation--and provides a magisterial and an innovative (re)interpretation of the business, economic, and social history of Lagos in the vortex of intersecting local, imperial, and global dynamics from the British occupation to the Great Depression."-- Ayodeji Olukoju , author of The Liverpool of West Africa: The Dynamics and Impact of the Maritime Trade in Lagos 1900-1950.