Which counted for nothing in the "Game of Empire" during this period.
In 1898 and 1913 Britain twice and secretly came to arrangements with Germany on to divide up Portugal's empire once the Portuguese government defaulted. In the first agreement, both nations agreed on how they'd prevent Portugal from obtaining loans, on how the regions involved would be divided, and how the other powers would be kept out. In the second agreement, the previous agreements were restated while both nations agreed to provide Portugal with loans which would force a default.
Seeing as the Great Powers expected that the Portuguese Empire would be auctioned off soon, those same powers might be interested in a Portuguese Congo if only so the pieces will fall into their control.