Warri sits on the bank of the Niger Delta and has a modern seaport which serves as the cargo transit point between the Niger River and the Atlantic Ocean for import and export. The city's history dates back to the 15th century, when it was visited by Portuguese missionaries. Subsequently it served as the base for Portuguese and Dutch slave traders. Warri became a more important port city during the late 19th century, when it became a centre for the palm oil trade and other major items such as rubber, palm products, cocoa, groundnuts, hides, and skins
