What was the relationship between Nok and later Ghana empire?

There is no direct evidence of a relationship between the Nok culture and the later Ghana empire. The Nok culture flourished in central Nigeria from around 500 BCE to 200 CE, while the Ghana empire emerged in the region of present-day southeastern Mauritania and western Mali around the 8th century CE. The distance between the two regions and the significant time gap between their existence make a direct connection unlikely.