Following are three traits that Ghana, Mali, and Songhai share:
An abundance of gold: The African countries of Ghana and Mali and the city of Songhai are all known for the availability of gold mines and the trans-Saharan gold trade.
Proximity to the Sahel region: The countries of Mali and Ghana do not entirely fall in the Sahel desert region but their proximity to the Sahel desert is a common trait between the two.
Major hubs of African trade and commerce during the ancient and medieval period: Mali was a major hub for trade owing to the abundance of gold and Ghana was significant because of the availability of a long shoreline and natural ports.