A general agent is an agent, i.e., representative of another, who has a mandate of general nature.
See also: Agent-general. In the Niger Rivers District the only senior agent, who administered the region (rather like a factor) for the National African Company Limited (which was granted a charter and renamed Royal Niger Company Chartered & Limited in 1886), was promoted in 1882 to become the first of only two general agents until it was absorbed by Southern Nigeria: