Mansa Musa

The richest man in history who reshaped West Africa's economy and Islamic scholarship through his legendary pilgrimage.

Mansa Musa (c. 1280–1337), ruler of the Mali Empire, is famed for his 1324 hajj to Mecca, during which he distributed so much gold that he caused inflation in Egypt. His wealth, derived from Mali's gold and salt mines, made him a global icon of prosperity. Beyond economics, Musa invested in Timbuktu's Sankore University, turning it into a hub for Islamic learning. He commissioned architects from Andalusia to build mosques, blending Saharan and Islamic styles.

According to historical accounts, his reign expanded Mali's borders and established it as a center of trade and education. European cartographers later depicted him holding a gold nugget on maps, cementing his legacy as a symbol of Africa's pre-colonial greatness.