What was the currency in use in the different regions that now make up Nigeria? Or did they not have any currency in use?

In Igboland and Eastern part of the Niger River, cowrie shells were used as a medium of exchage. There were times when currency were not required but by barter.

^^^^^
You are bang on the money my brothers, as long as I know, Ndigbo's currency before Nigeria was the cowries or direct barter. Until of late most Igbo communities still use the cowries during bride price negociation symbolically andd then each cowrie will represent a certain amount in modern currency.

I don't know if some still do it today.

Eziachi:

^^^^^
You are slam on the money my brothers, as long as I know, Ndigbo's currency before Nigeria was the cowries or direct barter. Until of late most Igbo communities still use the cowries during bride price negociation symbolically andd then each cowrie will represent a certain amount in modern currency.

I don't know if some still do it today.

Yea, we are saying the same thing. Ego kirikiri.

cowrie, british pounds, etc.

this is supposed to be common knowledge.

is the poster nigerian?

Andre Uweh:

Yea, we are saying the same thing. Ego kirikiri.

YEAH! Ego kirikiri.
Ego nna anyi kpara gboo, owu ego kirikiri- Ego ejiri luo nne muru anyi!
Do you know that folk song by Ihiagwa Owerre people?
great music !

tpia@:
,
cowrie, british pounds, etc.

this is supposed to be common knowledge.

is the poster nigerian?

Are you sure others like the Fulani used the cowrie? British pound doesn't count as the poster was asking about the currency used pre-Nigeria, ie before the white man arrived, when we hadly knew about the existence of each other except neighbours.

@the poster, this song will help you.
[flash=425,325]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjDS7FXCOXg&feature=related[/flash]
Thanks Mazi Eziachi.

Eziachi:

Are you sure others like the Fulani used the cowrie? British pound doesn't count as the poster was asking about the currency used pre-Nigeria, ie before the white man arrived, when we hadly knew about the existence of each other except neighbours.

the halfpenny and shilling were in use prior to the formation of nigeria.

so, likewise, the british pound.


i posted pictures a long time ago, of the stamps used before the amalgamation, when nigeria was divided into protectorates.


before british rule, during slave trade, i think it was cowries and manillas [in some areas- not too sure where]



also other things like guns, iron bars, etc.

in the north, maybe salt- not sure.