▁the ▁Niger ▁While ▁the ▁Berlin ▁Conference ▁was ▁largely ▁concerned ▁with ▁the ▁Congo , ▁there ▁was ▁also ▁competition ▁between ▁Germany , ▁France ▁and ▁Britain ▁for ▁rights ▁on ▁the ▁Niger , ▁an ▁important ▁ar tery ▁for ▁the ▁colon ization ▁of ▁the ▁interior . ▁Despite ▁the ▁failure ▁of ▁ ▁’ s ▁vent ure ▁in ▁Mah in land , ▁German ▁trad ers ▁still ▁wanted ▁duty - free ▁access ▁to ▁the ▁upper ▁Niger . ▁The ▁Ben ue ▁expedition ▁of ▁ ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 5 / 8 6 ▁sought ▁to ▁establish ▁relations ▁with ▁the ▁S ok oto ▁C ali ph ate ▁and ▁the ▁Em ir ate ▁of ▁G wand u , ▁but ▁this ▁did ▁not ▁lead ▁to ▁occupation ▁or ▁protection . ▁Like wise ▁Friedrich ▁Col in ’ s ▁attempt ▁to ▁reach ▁the ▁head w aters ▁of ▁the ▁Niger ian ▁from ▁Guinea ▁came ▁to ▁nothing ▁after ▁Germany ▁agreed ▁to ▁c ede ▁Kap ita ï ▁and ▁K oba ▁( also ▁known ▁as ▁‘ Col ins land ’ ) ▁to ▁France . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 4 / 9 5 ▁an ▁expedition ▁fund ed ▁by ▁the ▁T ogo ▁Committee ▁and ▁led ▁by ▁ ▁attempted ▁to ▁ac quire ▁territ ories ▁for ▁Germany ▁in ▁the ▁central ▁Niger ▁region . ▁Gr un er ▁and ▁his ▁companion ▁ ▁travel led ▁the ▁Niger ▁and ▁concluded ▁" tre aties ▁of ▁protection " ▁with ▁chief s ▁of ▁G wand u ▁and ▁. ▁However ▁the ▁French ▁and ▁British ▁represent atives ▁signed ▁similar ▁agre ements ▁with ▁the ▁same ▁chief s , ▁so ▁they ▁were ▁of ▁no ▁value