The Songhai Empire, under the leadership of Sonni Ali, conquered Timbuktu in 1468. The Songhai were a predominantly Hausa-speaking people, not Berbers.
The Berbers had a significant presence in the region, but they were not the dominant group in Timbuktu at the time. They were primarily involved in trade and scholarship, not political control.
The Songhai conquest of Timbuktu marked a major shift in power in the region. The Songhai Empire became one of the most powerful empires in West Africa, and Timbuktu flourished as a center of learning and commerce under their rule.