Early West African societies primarily divided labor tasks by gender. Men typically engaged in activities such as hunting, fishing, and agriculture, particularly in farming labor that required heavy lifting. Women often took on responsibilities related to child-rearing, gathering, and preparing food, as well as engaging in trade and craft production.
While age and region could also influence labor distribution to some extent, the division of labor by gender was a predominant characteristic in many of these societies. Religion could play a role in certain contexts, but it was not the primary factor determining labor tasks.