The Hausa people are an ethnic group that live in the northwestern region of Nigeria and the southern region of Niger. They are believed to have migrated from Nubia (northern Sudan) to Niger between 500-700 CE.

The Hausa people are an ethnic group that live in the northwestern region of Nigeria and the southern region of Niger. They are believed to have migrated from Nubia (northern Sudan) to Niger between 500-700 CE. 

The Hausa Kingdoms were established between the Niger River and Lake Chad, in present day northern Nigeria and Niger, and lasted from approximately 500 to 1808 CE. According to oral tradition, the Hausa Kingdoms were established by a Muslim prince from Baghdad named Bayajidda. The Hausa Kingdoms began as seven states:

Daura, Kano, Katsina, Zaria (Zazzau/Zegzeg), Gobir, Rano, and Hadejia (Biram). 

The Hausa city states became centers of long-distance trade, collecting trade items from the rain forest region to the south and sending them north to cities along the Mediterranean. In the precolonial period, women played a major role in social and economic activities, controlling occupations such as food processing, mat weaving, pottery making, and cooking. 

The Hausa people are known for their local and long-distance trading, and identify closely with their music. A large number of the Hausa population are Muslims practicing Islam, but there is also a class of Hausas called Maguzaya who belong to a cult worshiping natural spirits.