Here are some things I noticed about the map:
1. The map is intended for a European gaze. This seems obvious, but you can actually see it in the map in how there are no drawings of people in Europe, only symbols of kingdoms and cities. The mapmaker thus assumes that the reader does not need a drawing of Europeans to imagine them, because the reader themself is European.
2. The mapmaker has not actually seen most of the people or peoples he's depicting. He depicts an Arabian noblewoman or queen (bottom center) in European dress, and he depicts most Asians as light-haired people with European dress (all except the man in green in the middle top). Therefore, the mapmaker knows that certain regions have royalty and castles and riches and thus draws them like European royalty, castles, and riches. This explains why Mansa Musa has been depicted like European royalty.
3. You don't see the same racist depictions of Africa that arise later, which makes sense: at this point in time, Europeans still viewed other cultures (particularly the Islamic Empires) as places of great scholars and philosophers, not confining erudition or excellence to Europeans.