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The Europeans realized that they could reach the wealth of the hinterland only if they could explore the Niger. But there were several views about its course and its true mouth.
For example , some people said the Niger flowed eastwards from western Guinea into the Nile or to Lake Chad. Others thought that it flowed westwards from Timbuctu.
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Many expeditions were made to explore the river. Mungo park and Hugh Clapperton did much pioneering work.
But it was through the efforts of the two brothers , Richard and John Lander, that the true course and mouth of the Niger were discovered in 1830.
When it became known that the so-called 'Oil Rivers' were ,in fact, the mouths of the River Niger. Several attempts were made to open up trade in the interior of the country.
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They early attempts failed. This was largely because many of the men died from malaria or yellow fever. A Niger expedition in 1854, however, was highly successful.
On this trip Dr. Baikie and his men used quinine to prevent malaria.