Why were europeans interested in colonizing africa? africa had an abundance of raw materials for industry. africa exported a lot of tea. africa was a potential market for european products of industry. africa was an important part of the spice trade.

Europeans saw Africa as a rich source of raw materials to use in industry and as a market for European products of industry. Also, it was felt that having a colonial empire at this time was part of being a European power, in order to be able to compete. Furthermore, some Europeans felt that they were superior to Africans and were therefore justified in conquering what they thought were the backward peoples of Africa.