Songhai became the last great civilization in West Africa and located at Gao. Songhai became the most powerful empire of all West Africa, beating Ghana and Mali. They were most know for establishment of schools, a uniform system of weights and measure, the improvement of banking a credit procedures, reorganization of the armed forces, the promotion of more foreign trade, and the creation of an effective government administrative network throughout the land. Songhai was a Muslim state. The Moroccans and Spanish invaders defeated the Songhai forces and they took control of Timbuktu.