S3E18 The Saharan Salt Economy: Africa’s Ancient Global Trade Network

Africa was never isolated. Long before colonizers arrived, the continent was home to vast trade networks that connected gold empires, desert caravans, and ocean-going merchant cities to the rest of the world.In this episode, we trace the ancient trade corridors of Africa—from the gold-salt empires of Wagadou, Mali, and Songhai, to the Swahili maritime ports like Kilwa and Mombasa, to the highland empire of Aksum and the stone cities of Great Zimbabwe.These weren’t just trade routes—they were the lifelines of a global economy. And today, as modern Africa builds highways, railways, and digital markets, these same corridors are being revived through AfCFTA, LAPSSET, and the Trans-African Highways.Discover how Africa is reconnecting with itself—and the world—by reclaiming the trade logic it pioneered centuries ago.🔔 Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more deep dives on global history, geopolitics, and economic transformation from the Global South perspective.**#emergingworldorder2025 #africa #africanhistory #precolonialafrica #africantrade #maliempire #swahilicoast #aksum #greatzimbabwe #afcfta #transafricanhighway #lapsset #decolonizehistory #globaltrade #goldroads #economiccorridors #globalsouth**