The Economy of Nupe People

Agricultural Economy

Farming formed the backbone of Nupe’s economy. The fertile soil along the Niger and Kaduna rivers allowed farmers to grow abundant crops. Most Nupe people worked as farmers during the rainy season (April to October).

Main crops included:

• Yams: The most important crop, used for food and ceremonies. Large yam harvests showed a farmer’s wealth and status
• Potatoes: Grown in riverine areas, provided food during yam scarcity
• Rice: Cultivated in swampy areas near rivers, became a valuable trade item
• Millet and Guinea corn: Drought-resistant crops for drier areas
• Groundnuts: Introduced later, became a cash crop for trade

Farmers used simple tools like hoes, cutlasses, and digging sticks. The Nupe developed an annual farming calendar tied to river flooding. When the Niger flooded, it deposited rich soil on farmlands, ensuring good harvests.

Land ownership followed family lines. The Etsu Nupe (king) controlled allocation of land, but families had permanent use rights. Slaves also worked on large farms owned by chiefs and wealthy merchants.

Fishing Industry

Living at the Niger-Benue confluence gave Nupe people excellent fishing opportunities. Fishing communities settled along riverbanks, using canoes and various fishing techniques.

Fishing methods included:

• Nets: Made from locally woven fibers, used for catching large quantities
• Traps: Basket traps placed in shallow waters
• Hooks and lines: For individual fishing
• Dams: Seasonal dams redirected fish into catching areas

Fish was consumed fresh, dried, or smoked for preservation. Dried fish became a major trade item sent to inland areas where fresh fish was scarce. The Nupe developed special smoking techniques that kept fish edible for months, allowing long-distance trade.

Industrial and Craft Activities

Nupe became famous across Nigeria for specialized crafts and industries. These activities provided income and made Nupe products highly sought after in distant markets.

Blacksmithing (Baba Area)

The Baba region of Nupe was the industrial centre for iron working. Blacksmiths there produced:

• Farm tools (hoes, cutlasses, axes)
• Weapons (swords, spear heads, arrow tips)
• Household items (cooking pots, knives, locks)
• Iron chains and decorative metalwork

Baba blacksmiths obtained iron ore from local deposits and used charcoal furnaces to smelt it. Their products were sold throughout central Nigeria and even reached Yorubaland and Hausa states.

Bronze Casting

Tsoede brought bronze casting techniques from Igala and Benin when he founded Nupe. Nupe bronze workers created beautiful artifacts:

• Royal regalia for the Etsu Nupe
• Religious objects for shrines
• Decorative items for wealthy merchants
• Trade items for exchange with other kingdoms

Glass Bead Making

Nupe was one of few Nigerian kingdoms that produced glass beads. Artisans made beads by melting and reshaping imported glass or creating new glass from local materials. These beads were highly valued for jewelry and ceremonial dress across West Africa.

Textile Weaving

Nupe weavers produced high-quality cloth using cotton grown locally or obtained through trade. They wove distinctive patterns and designs that became symbols of Nupe identity. Both men and women participated in weaving, though they used different loom types.

Trade and Commerce

Trade made Nupe wealthy and powerful. The kingdom’s position at the Niger-Benue confluence placed it on major trade routes connecting northern and southern Nigeria.

Trading Routes

The main trade routes were:

• Niger-Kaduna River Route: Water transport of bulk goods
• North-South Overland Route: Connected Hausa states to coastal areas
• East-West Route: Linked Yorubaland with Borno and beyond

Nupe merchants used large canoes for river trade and pack animals (donkeys, horses) for overland journeys. Markets operated on specific days, attracting traders from hundreds of kilometers away.

Trading Partners

Region	Goods Received from Them	Goods Sent to Them
Hausa States	Horses, leather goods, onions, salt	Kola nuts, fish, cloth, slaves
Yorubaland (Oyo, Ijebu)	Kola nuts, palm oil, kolanuts	Horses, cloth, iron tools, slaves
Igala Kingdom	Yams, palm wine, pottery	Fish, cloth, iron goods
Jukun	Grain, livestock	Fish, metal tools, cloth
Borno	Salt, natron, horses	Kola, slaves, cloth
Coastal Peoples	European goods, guns, gunpowder	Slaves, leather goods, horses

Articles of Trade

Major trade items included:

Kola nuts: Obtained from Yorubaland and transported north to Hausa states and Borno where they were highly valued. Nupe middlemen made huge profits from kola trade.

Salt: Came from Sahara salt mines through Hausa traders. Nupe distributed it southward where it was scarce and expensive.

Fish (dried and smoked): Nupe’s abundant fish was sold to inland communities far from rivers.

Slaves: Captured in wars or raids, slaves were traded north to Hausa states and Borno, or south to coastal areas for the Atlantic trade. This was profitable but morally devastating.

Horses: Imported from Hausa states and Borno, then sold to southern kingdoms like Oyo that needed cavalry for warfare.

Cloth and dye works: Nupe textiles were prized for quality. Indigo dye produced locally created the distinctive blue cloth.

Iron and copper utensils: Baba blacksmiths’ products were distributed throughout the region.

European goods: After contact with coastal traders, items like guns, gunpowder, mirrors, and alcohol passed through Nupe to northern markets.

Nupe as Middlemen

The Nupe people’s greatest economic role was serving as middlemen between Hausa people and coastal populations. This middleman position brought several advantages:

Geographical advantage: Sitting between the Sahel (Hausa) and the forest (coastal) zones, Nupe naturally connected both regions.

Cultural knowledge: Nupe traders understood Hausa language and customs as well as southern trading practices. This made negotiations easier.

Transportation infrastructure: Nupe controlled river crossings and had numerous canoes for transport. They also owned pack animals for overland routes.

Market networks: Established markets with regular trading days attracted merchants who knew they could buy and sell reliably.

Credit systems: Wealthy Nupe merchants provided credit to traders, taking a share of profits when goods were sold.

This middleman role meant Nupe traders bought goods cheap from producers and sold high to final buyers, keeping the profit margin. For example, kola nuts from Yorubaland cost little there but sold for high prices in Kano. Nupe merchants made money on the difference.

Currency and Exchange

Before British colonial rule introduced coins, Nupe used several currency forms:

• Cowrie shells: Most common for everyday transactions, carried in bags or baskets
• Iron bars: For large purchases like horses or land
• Cloth strips: Standardized cloth pieces served as money
• Barter: Direct exchange of goods (salt for yams, fish for cloth)

Exchange rates fluctuated based on supply and demand, similar to modern currency markets.

Common Exam Mistakes

• Writing “trading” without specifics: WAEC wants you to name actual trading partners (Hausa, Yoruba, Igala, Jukun, Borno, coastal peoples) and specific goods
• Forgetting the middleman role: Many students miss that Nupe’s main economic importance was connecting North and South
• Confusing trade items: Remember direction of trade – kola went north, horses/salt came south through Nupe
• Ignoring industries: Don’t just write “farming and trading.” Mention Baba blacksmithing, bronze casting, glass beads, textiles
• Merely listing without explaining: When question says “explain,” don’t just write “they traded salt.” Say “Salt from Sahara mines came through Hausa traders to Nupe, who sold it south where salt was scarce and expensive”

Practice Questions

Multiple Choice Questions

1. The main crops grown by Nupe farmers were:
a) Cocoa and palm oil
b) Yams and potatoes ✓
c) Cotton and groundnuts
d) Cassava and plantain

2. Which area of Nupe was famous for blacksmithing?
a) Raba
b) Mokwa
c) Baba ✓
d) Nupeko

3. Nupe traders obtained kola nuts mainly from:
a) Hausa states
b) Yorubaland ✓
c) Borno
d) Jukun Kingdom

4. The most important economic role of Nupe was:
a) Growing yams for export
b) Producing iron tools
c) Serving as middlemen between Hausa and coastal peoples ✓
d) Fishing in the Niger River

Essay Questions

1. Explain FIVE economic activities of the Nupe people in the pre-colonial period. (10 marks)

Tip: Use separate paragraphs: (1) Farming – yams, potatoes, rice; (2) Fishing – methods and dried fish trade; (3) Blacksmithing – Baba area, iron tools; (4) Trading – middlemen role; (5) Crafts – bronze, glass beads, textiles. Explain each, don’t just list.

2. Discuss the role of Nupe as middlemen in pre-colonial Nigerian trade. (8 marks)

Tip: Define middlemen. Explain geographical position (Niger-Benue confluence). Describe trade routes (North-South). Give examples of goods moving both directions (kola south-to-north, horses north-to-south). Mention profit-making from price differences.

3. Identify FOUR articles of trade in the Nupe economy and state TWO trading partners. (6 marks)

Tip: Articles: kola nuts, salt, slaves, horses, cloth, fish, iron/copper utensils (choose four). Trading partners: Hausa states, Yorubaland, Igala, Jukun, Borno, coastal peoples (choose two). Be specific.

4. Account for the economic importance of the Niger-Kaduna rivers to Nupe people. (6 marks)

Tip: (1) Fishing opportunities; (2) Transportation of goods by canoe; (3) Fertile farmlands from flooding; (4) Water for irrigation; (5) Strategic trade location; (6) Control of river crossings for taxation.

Memory Aids

Main Economic Activities – FABRIC:
Farming (yams, potatoes)
Artisan crafts (bronze, beads)
Blacksmithing (Baba)
River fishing
Iron/copper utensils
Commerce (middlemen)

Trade Items – “Salt Kola Fish Horses Cloth Slaves”:
Remember this phrase when listing articles of trade. Add “iron/copper utensils” for completeness.

Trading Partners (5 regions): Huge Yellow Iguana Jumps Backward
Hausa, Yoruba, Igala, Jukun, Borno (+ coastal peoples)

Related Topics

• Nupe Kingdom – political organization and history
• Trans-Saharan Trade Routes – broader trade context
• Hausa States Economy – Nupe’s northern trading partners
• Yoruba Economy – source of kola nuts and southern trade
• Pre-colonial Nigerian Industries – blacksmithing, bronze casting, textiles across regions