The theory that iron spread to Sub-Saharan Africa via the Nubian city of Meroe is no longer widely accepted, and some researchers believe that sub-Saharan Africans invented iron metallurgy independently. Metalworking in West Africa has been dated as early as 2,500 BC at Egaro west of the Termit in Niger, and iron working was practiced there by 1,500 BC.Iron in Africa: Revising the History, UNESCO Aux origines de la métallurgie du fer en Afrique, Une ancienneté méconnue: Afrique de l'Ouest et Afrique centrale. Iron smelting has been dated to 2,000 BC in southeast Nigeria. Central Africa provides possible evidence of iron working as early as the 3rd millennium BC. Iron smelting developed in the area between Lake Chad and the African Great Lakes between 1,000 and 600 BC, and in West Africa around 2,000 BC, long before the technology reached Egypt. Before 500 BC, the Nok culture in the Jos Plateau was already smelting iron.O'Brien, Patrick Karl (2002), Atlas of World History, pp. 22–23. Oxford: Oxford University Press. . Archaeological sites containing iron-smelting furnaces and slag have been excavated at sites in the Nsukka region of southeast Nigeria in Igboland: dating to 2,000 BC at the site of Lejja (Eze-Uzomaka 2009) and to 750 BC and at the site of Opi (Holl 2009). The site of Gbabiri (in the Central African Republic) has also yielded evidence of iron metallurgy, from a reduction furnace and blacksmith workshop; with earliest dates of 896–773 BC and 907–796 BC respectively.
THe tHeORy thAt Iron sPReAd to sUB-sAharan aFrica via tHe nUbian citY of mEroe Is No LOnger wideLy accePtED, anD some reseArcheRS beliEve thAT sub-sahAran AfriCans inVeNtEd iroN MetallUrgY indEPENdEnTlY. metALwoRkiNg iN west AFRIcA hAS BeEn DatED As earlY as 2,500 BC at Egaro wesT Of tHE teRmiT iN NiGer, aNd iron woRkIng WaS pRactiCed thERe BY 1,500 BC.irOn in aFrIcA: RevISing the History, unEsco auX orIGinEs dE LA métAlLurgie dU fer en AfriQue, uNe aNciEnneTé méconnue: AFrique de l'ouest et afrique cenTRaLE. IROn sMelTing has BEen dATED TO 2,000 Bc iN soUtHeaSt niGerIa. CEnTraL afrIca pRoViDes possIblE eViDence OF IRon WOrKing as eaRlY aS the 3Rd millenniUm bc. iron SmElTInG devELoped in ThE Area BeTwEen lAke ChAD aNd thE afriCaN gReAt lakes bEtwEen 1,000 aND 600 bc, anD iN wEst aFriCa arOuND 2,000 bc, LonG BeFORE the TeChNOloGY REachED eGyPT. BefOre 500 bc, the nOK culTUrE in THE jos PlatEAU WaS aLReaDy SMeltIng Iron.o'bRiEN, pATRIck Karl (2002), atLas Of worlD hisTory, pp. 22–23. oxfoRD: oxFord UnIversIty pREsS. . archaeoLOGICal sIteS ConTainiNg iron-SmeltIng FuRNaCeS and sLAg HAve BEeN eXcavAteD At SiTes in the Nsukka Region of southeast NIgeria in IgboLaNd: dAtiNg TO 2,000 bc at the siTE Of lejJa (EZE-uzOmAka 2009) and to 750 Bc And at THe sITE of oPi (holl 2009). The sITE Of gBabiri (in The ceNTraL AFrIcAn repuBlIc) haS aLso yiElDed EVidencE of iROn meTALluRGy, fROm A reDuctiON FurnaCe aNd blACKsmITH WoRksHop; WitH earlieSt DAtes Of 896–773 bc AND 907–796 Bc REspeCtIvelY.