| A | B |
| Igbo people | existed as a statless society from the 9th throught the 19th centuries |
| Almoravids | Muslim state from mid 1000's - to mid 1100's |
| Almohads | Muslim state from mid 1100's to mid 1200's |
| Ghana | West African empire from 700's-1076 |
| Mali | West African empire from 1235-1400's |
| Songhai | West African empire from 1400's - 1500's. |
| Benin | West African trading empire strong in the 1400's- 1500's |
| Kilwa | East African city-state flourished from 1200's- 1400's |
| Great Zimbabwe | Capital of trade-based empire from 1200's until about 1450 |
| Mutapa Empire | founded about 1420 by a man from Great Zimbabwe |