History of West Africa more states. Early human settlers arrived in West Africa around 12,000 BCE. In the fifth millennium, as the ancestors of modern West Africans began entering the area, the development of sedentary farming began to take place in West Africa. The Iron industry, in both smelting and forging for tools and weapons, appeared in Sub-Saharan Africa by 1200 BCE, and by 400 BCE, contact had been made with the Mediterranean civilizations, and a regular trade included exporting gold, cotton, metal, and leather in exchange for copper, horses, salt, textiles, and beads. Culture developed further with the Nok culture (1000 BCE to
West Africa Command 1956. Postwar plans to raise an infantry division in West Africa as part of a British strategic reserve were not realised due to lack of funding. After disbandment, its infrastructure was used by the new Ghana Army. Its insignia (a leaning palm tree) is still worn today by members of the British Peace Support Team, Ghana, including personnel based at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre. Commanders-in-Chief have included: West Africa Command West Africa Command was a Command of the British Army. After the First World War, military forces in the four British West African colonies (Nigeria, the Gold