This article, which is the first part of series of article, will begin by briefly addressing the main issues that the series will address in order to shed light on the articles to come. Accordingly, the main goal of the series will be to outline the Sokoto Caliphate established in Nigeria - which was established in the early 19th century and was in effect until the early 20th century. In order to understand better the position of the established caliphate, previous states and religious structures in the region will be mentioned.
Niger is a landlocked Sub-Saharan African country. Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Libya and Mali are neighbors of Niger, which has area of 1.27 million square kilometers. The distance to the nearest seaport is around 1000 km. 80% of the country is covered with deserts and a small part in the south can be considered steppe.