Glossary · Term

Kola nut

Also known as kola nuts

The kola nut is the caffeine-containing seed of the kola tree, native to the West African forest zone. It was chewed as a stimulant, used in social and ceremonial exchange, and widely traded northwards into the savannah and Sahel. Kola formed an important trade good in the economies of the Ashanti Empire and the Benin Empire and was a major import into the Sokoto Caliphate.

Mentioned in 4 profiles

Ashanti EmpireSocioeconomyBenin EmpireSocioeconomySokoto CaliphateSocioeconomyHausa kingdomsSocioeconomy

Mentioned in 1 state history

Kong Empire

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Kola nut. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/kola-nut
MLA
“Kola nut.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/kola-nut. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Kola nut.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/kola-nut.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Kola nut’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/kola-nut (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻