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Culture and heritage

Lander Brothers Anchorage

Lander Brothers Anchorage is a riverside memorial in Asaba to Richard and John Lander, the British explorers who sailed down the Niger in 1830 and showed that it flows into the Atlantic. It marks where they are said to have anchored, with an anchor monument, a garden and wide river views.

Asaba, Oshimili SouthLast checked 10 September 2026

The anchor monument at Lander Brothers Anchorage, with visitors sitting on its steps The wide River Niger seen from the Anchorage The garden path at Lander Brothers Anchorage, lined with trees The Nigerian coat of arms and a marble commemorative plaque on the wall at the Anchorage

Photos: Hadassah Photostorie group / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; MediaMOF / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Hadassah Photostorie / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. All photo credits

The Lander expedition

In 1830 the two brothers set out to trace the Niger, the river Mungo Park had died trying to map. They travelled downstream by canoe from Yelwa and became the first Europeans to follow it to the sea, proving that the Niger drains into the Atlantic.

Richard Lander went back to the river on a later expedition and was killed in 1834.

What you'll see

A large anchor monument on a stepped base, a commemorative plaque, a small garden and a broad view across the River Niger. The site also has a small museum about the expedition.

Visiting

Tour operators often pair the Anchorage with Mungo Park House, which makes an easy half day in Asaba. Opening hours aren't published, so check before you go.

Good to know

Who were the Lander brothers?

Richard and John Lander, British explorers who in 1830 followed the River Niger downstream to the sea, the first Europeans to do so.

Related

Sources

  1. Richard Lander (Wikipedia)
  2. Lander Brothers Anchorage, Asaba (nigeriagalleria)
  3. Lander Brothers Anchorage (Nigerian Cultural Heritage archive)
  4. Lander Brothers Anchorage (hotels.ng)
  5. Asaba day tour: Lander Brothers Anchorage and Mungo Park House

Last checked 10 September 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us on WhatsApp.

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