Papers of Company of Merchants Trading to Africa, 1751-1769, comprise a bound volume of copies of letters from the Committee of the Company of Merchants Trading to Africa, to the Governor and Council of Cape Coast Castle, 1751-1768 and bound volume of copies of letters from the Agent at Cape Coast Castle of the Royal Africa Company of England to his superiors in London, 1767-1769.

Papers Verney Lovett Cameron, 1872-1886, relate to the Livingstone Relief Expedition of 1873 and notably include: account books from 1872; correspondence about the preparation and progress of the Expedition, 1873-1875; a diary for October - December 1874; correspondence on funding the exhibition 1873-1881.

Papers, c1900-1992, collected by Jean Boyd, relating to northern Nigeria from the late 18th century to the 1990s.

Papers on Nana Asma'u include copies of her manuscript poems (1820-1865) and later papers relating to her work, including translations, 1976-1984. Papers on works by Shehu dan Fodio include copies of his poems on male-female relationships (1789 and undated) and later papers relating to his work, 1975-1981. Papers on works by Asma'u's female relatives and descendants include copies of poems and writings by various authors (c1860-1934 and undated) and later papers relating to the subject, c1950-1990. Other material comprises field notes on the remnants of Asma'u's disciples, the Yan Taru, 1973-1990; papers on the milieu in which Asma'u lived in Gobir, c1900-1984, including Gobir chiefs; papers, including press cuttings, on the situation of women in northern Nigeria in the 1980s, the subjects including Muslims, prostitution, women's organizations, medical matters, and women's education.

Papers, 1903-1992, including articles, reports and press cuttings, on Sokoto relate to geological history, prehistory, palaeontology, archaeology, pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial history, the subjects including the social and economic history of the city of Sokoto, colonial administration, British fears over Mahdism, and local government and economic issues in Sokoto state in modern Nigeria.

Three volumes contain over 500 postcards, many in colour, relating to Nigeria, including images of people, cultural events, various places, and other aspects of Nigerian life [late 20th century].

Material relating to politics in Botswana including constitutions, platforms, manifestos, leaflets, election results, speeches, party histories, letters, telegrams, membership cards, interviews and other materials issued by the Bechuanaland Liberal Party, the Bechuanaland National Democratic Party, the Bechuanaland People's Party, the Bechuanaland United Progressive Party, the Botswana Congress Party, the Botswana Democratic Party, the Botswana Independence Party, the Botswana National Front, and the Botswana People's Party.

Papers of Vero Louis Bosazza, 1942-1980, comprise papers relating to his work as a geoglogist and include 'The identification of Daka na Moio island in the Shire river', 1969; 'Notes on the journal of Thomas Baines... April 3rd to September 17th 1858', 1970; 'Dr Livingstone's geological description omitted from the published version of Livingstone's African Journals, 1853-1856' (annotated transcipt, prepared from the original held by the National Archives of Rhodesia, 1973); 'David Livingstone, pilot and navigator', 1972 (two vols, typescript, fully annotated, maps, diagrams, tables, photographs and bibliography); 'The magnetic variations along the east coast of Africa, 1822-1969', 1972; ' Discussion on David Livingstone: a Mid-Victorian scientist by Dr D J Siddle', 1974; 'The Pioneer surveys in the Zambesi and Shire valleys and the mapping of Malawi', 1974; 'David Livingstone and his modern critics', 1975 (illustrated with maps, diagrams and photographs); 'Thomas Baines on the Zambesi', 1975. (Illustrated with maps and photograpghs); edited transcripts of: Antonio Jozi's 'Narrative of the proceedings of a small party ... July 1823 ... to explore the course of the river Zambesi' (Archives Library MSS.); and a letter from Thomas Maclear to David Livingstone, 11 July 1865 (Archives Special Collections: David Livingstone), 1976. Papers relating to southern Africa including: 'The Rev Robert Moffat's sextant', 1978; 'The grave of Herbert Rhodes on the Shire river, Malawi'; 1978.

Papers, 1927-1986, of Gledhill Stanley Blatch, comprising correspondence, press cuttings, reports and political propaganda material collected by him. The material relates largely to the Ethiopian situation in the 1970s and 1980s and covers topics such as the famine and refugee situation, questions of religious discrimination and the Mengistu regime.

Diaries and notebooks of James Theodore and Mabel Virginia Anna Bent, 1883-1898, comprising:
Mabel Bent's diaries of visits to the Greek Islands, 1883-1884; Greece and Egypt, 1885; Constantinople [Istanbul] and the Greek Islands, 1886; Greece, 1887; Turkey and Russia, 1888; India and Persia [Iran], 1889 (3 volumes); Cilicia, Turkey, 1890; Central Africa (Mashonaland), 1891 (2 volumes); Hadramout, 1893-1895 (3 volumes); Suez, Kourbat and Athens, 1895-1896; Socotra, Yemen, 1896-1897; Greece and Egypt, 1898;
Theodore Bent's diary of visits to Hadramout, Yemen, 1893-94; Muscat, Dec 1894; Socotra, Yemen, Dec 1896-Mar 1897; notebook, containing Greek inscriptions, 1888; notebook on language in Socotra [1896-1897].