>>717310140
Africa's got plenty of rivers and natural harbors that the Europeans used. The Malians had developed seafaring technology and they were largely landlocked. Mansa Musa came to power because his elder brother, who was meant to be king, ended up sailing West and never came back. There are conspiracy theories to this day that he actually made it to Mesoamerica and that's why the Olmec heads look African (if you squint).