Final answer:
The Songhai Empire's greatest achievement was its expansion under Askia the Great, becoming the largest empire in West Africa and a major center of trade and Islamic learning, particularly in the cities of Timbuktu and Djenné.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Greatest Achievement of the Songhai Empire
The greatest achievement of the Songhai Empire, under the leadership of Askia the Great, was its expansion to become the largest empire in West Africa's history. By controlling major trade routes across the Sahara, the empire became an unparalleled center of Islamic learning and study in West Africa. Cities like Timbuktu and Djenné were not only trading hubs but also centers for education, attracting scholars and merchants from across the Islamic world. The introduction of standardized weights and measures, as well as the use of trade inspectors, bolstered the efficiency and integrity of trans-Saharan trade.
Under Askia the Great, Songhai also triumphed in infrastructure development and the socio-economic growth of the region. The empire's wealth was substantially built on trade of salt, cloth, and gold, and it was marked by a frame of political stability and centralized power.