Which the collapse of trade routes across the Sahara in the 15th and 16th centuries political and economic power in Africa shifted to the coast of?

The collapse of Saharan trade routes during the 15th and 16th centuries led to a significant shift in political and economic power in Africa toward coastal regions, particularly along the Atlantic. As European powers sought direct access to African goods, coastal states like the Kingdom of Ghana and the Ashanti Empire began to flourish through trade in gold, ivory, and slaves. This shift diminished the influence of inland empires, which had previously controlled the trans-Saharan trade. Consequently, the dynamics of power in Africa became increasingly intertwined with European colonial interests along the coast.