Why did africans engage in slave trade?

Answer 1

Although some people think it was all the Europeans fought that Africa was taken over but it was also the Africans. African leaders (mainly in West Africa), engaged in the slave trade and received some advantages. Some African kings traded their people for weapons.

Answer 2

They lived at a time and in a culture when and where selling humans was considered OK. No principal difference from a farmer today gathering up and selling some cattle to make some money.