How did Nyasaland become part of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland?

Nyasaland was incorporated into the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland in 1953 by the British colonial government, despite intense opposition from the African population.12

The decision was driven by white European settlers and political leaders in the Rhodesias who sought to create an amalgamated territory to secure larger markets and gain easier access to African labor. The British imperial government was persuaded to support this federation for several reasons:1
* Economic arguments regarding industrial growth and trade.1
* A desire to counter the 1948 nationalist victory in South Africa.1
* Hopes of establishing a multiracial state based on "partnership" to serve as an alternative to South Africa’s apartheid policies.1

African inhabitants in Nyasaland and Northern Rhodesia consistently opposed the federation, fearing it would lead to permanent domination by the white settler population of Southern Rhodesia. This imposition became a primary catalyst for the growth of the nationalist movement in Nyasaland, eventually leading to the federation's dissolution in 1963 and the subsequent independence of Malawi in 1964.132