No, ocean navigation is far different for a number of reasons. Before I get into that, I just wish to note that Trans-Saharan trade has been going over for over a millenia - well before the rise of the Mali Empire.
Anyway, the sands of the Sahara do not have the problems of prevailing winds and currents. Sailing before the age of steam required sailors to know what currents/winds they could tack onto in order to sail to a destination. No such equivalent in walking across a desert
So for instance, if you were a sailor in Mogadishu around 1500 - you'd have to wait for the right monsoon wind to take you to Calicut in India. But if you weren't careful, you could miscalculate the right departure time and become stranded where you were.
Bedouin Arabs, Tuaregs and other people traversed the Sahara at various times of the year. Even during harmattan. So no. They're not equivalent.
You keep writing what you think that you know that they did or what their capabilities were. I am willing to say that I don't know what their technology was at that time nor do I know what their capabilities were.
Anyway you seem stuck in your mindset. So that is that.