The Hausa city-states formed a loose political confederation known as the

The Hausa Bakwai were seven Hausa city-states. They included Kano, Katsina, Zaria, Gobir, Daura, Rano, and Biram.

These states were independent but shared culture and trade. They were not one united empire.

The Sokoto Caliphate came later after the jihad of 1804 united many Hausa states under one ruler.