The Lagos Treaty of Cession was a pivotal agreement between Britain and the local rulers of Lagos, Nigeria, signed in 1861. Following decades of British involvement in the region, the treaty was largely motivated by Britain's ongoing efforts to suppress the transatlantic slave trade and aimed to establish a protectorate in Lagos. In many ways, Lagos served as a critical node for the slave trade, and British officials believed that exerting control over the area would help curb this inhumane practice. The treaty was signed under the authority of Oba Akintoye, who was compelled by internal tensions, such as rivalry between local factions and increasing pressure from British merchants and authorities seeking to establish more substantial trade relations.

The cession effectively made Lagos a British colony, allowing the British to implement laws and regulations aimed at ending slavery and its ramifications in the region. As a result, the treaty accelerated the administrative and legal structures that British colonial officers would impose, further integrating Lagos into British economic and social models. The control granted through the treaty also meant the expansion of missionary efforts, which aimed to convert the local population and further promote British ideals of civilization.

The consequences of the treaty were significant, not only for Lagos but for Nigeria as a whole. It laid the groundwork for later annexation and the eventual amalgamation of Nigeria under British rule. While the treaty did succeed in reducing certain aspects of the slave trade, it also resulted in new forms of exploitation and governance that would impact local societies for generations. The politics of the treaty exemplified the complexities of colonial relationships, where power was negotiated not just through force but through treaties and diplomacy.