Antonio Malfante was a Genoese

Genoa

Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....

 trader, known for traveling to Africa on behalf of the Centurione Bank in 1447. In a letter written in Latin from the Saharan oasis of Tuwat

Tuat

Tuat is a desert region in central Algeria that contains a string of small oases. In the past, the oases were important for caravans crossing the Sahara desert.-Geography:...

 to a merchant in Genoa, Malfante reported on what he learned from an informant about the trans-Saharan trade. He listed several 'states' including one called 'Geni' and describes the Niger River

Niger River

The Niger River is the principal river of western Africa, extending about . Its drainage basin is in area. Its source is in the Guinea Highlands in southeastern Guinea...

: "Through these lands flows a very large river, which at certain times of the year inundates all these lands. This river passes by the gates of Thambet (Timbuktu

Timbuktu

Timbuktu , formerly also spelled Timbuctoo, is a town in the West African nation of Mali situated north of the River Niger on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert. The town is the capital of the Timbuktu Region, one of the eight administrative regions of Mali...

). ... There are many boats on it, by which they carry on trade."