Ali Babba bin Bello pronunciationⓘ (Arabic: علي ببَّا بن بلُّو) (1804–1859 - aged 55) was the fourth Sultan of the Sokoto Caliphate from 1842 to 1859.
Ali Babba consolidated the administration of the Sokoto Caliphate, quelled many of the tension between the Sultan and the Emirs, achieved a cessation of hostilities with Bornu, and started trading with the British Empire.
[citation needed] Many of the Emirs had become quite independent from the Caliphate by the time Ali Babba came to power.
[2] In addition, the tension in the Adamawa Emirate, with Emir Adama threatening to leave the Sokoto Caliphate, a conflict which had reached a highpoint in the last months of his predecessors reign, was quickly resolved with Ali Babba reasserting the authority of Adama and ending recognition of his rivals.
[5] In 1853, explorer Heinrich Barth and Ali Babba negotiated an extensive trade agreement between the British and the Sokoto Caliphate.