Large and powerful Kingdoms that covered much of West Africa from Medieval times onwards were Ghana Empire (800-1100 CE), Mali Empire (1100-1600 CE), and Songhai Empire (1340-1591 CE).
Today I have found out that the Great Mosque of Djenné in Mali, first built in the 13th century, is the largest clay building in the world.
Right now in the fourteenth century, Mali is a major source and hub of the gold trade. Mansa Musa, ruler of the Mali Empire, has almost half of the world’s gold.