Mansa Musa took a number of Arabic scholars and skilled artisans back to West Africa with him.

These scholars enhanced the university of Timbuktu which was already widely known as a center of Islamic studies.

Now, besides exchanging material goods, West Africa and the Arabs became involved in a steady exchange of scholars and learning.
The success of Mali in bringing law and order to a large portion of West Africa was responsible for its decline.

Having experienced the advantages of political organization, many localities sought self-government.

In fact, Mansa Musa had overextended the empire.