For what religious, political, and commercial reasons was portugal interested in africa?

There are several reasons why Portugal was interested in establishing colonies in Africa. The main reason was the fact that gold was so abundant in many regions of the continent. King John I wanted to gain access to the gold-producing areas of West Africa. Moreover, the Portuguese also wanted to profit from the very successful trans-Saharan trade routes between Songhay and North Africa. Portugal also wanted to bring Christianity to the continent, as they believed this was the only true religion and the only way to achieve "salvation."

the government closely monitored its finances to avoid another financial collapse.

warfare was the primary means of cultural transmission in both regions.