Mansa Musa is generally regarded as the richest man to ever live my a massive margin. But where did his wealth come from, and what did he have that other powerful/rich rulers didn't?
This is a topic that has come up here already from time to time. There is always more to say, but it's almost certainly not true than Mansa Musa was indeed "the richest man ever to live by a massive margin", and good reason to think his display of wealth was a long-planned and carefully orchestrated piece of political theatre.
You might like to review some earlier responses that fill you in on Musa and his wealth while you are waiting for fresh responses to your query. For instance:
How wealthy was the Malian emperor Mansa Musa? How did his display his wealth? with /u/mikedash
Was mansa musa really the richest person ever? with u/davepx
How was Mansa Musa I able to become so wealthy? with u/Commustar