How to Verify a Supplier Before You Pay: A Practical Checklist for African Buyers

Before you send money to a new supplier, slow down. A bad supplier does not only cost you the deposit. You lose freight, time, and the selling season. Here is a simple verification path I would use for a first order.

Start with the paperwork, not the price

Ask for the business registration certificate, tax ID, owner ID, and bank account details. The company name on the certificate must match the bank account name. No match, no payment. For a local supplier, check the registration number with the companies office or chamber of commerce. For an overseas supplier, ask for the business license and export license if the product needs one. A photo of a certificate is not enough. Write down the number and verify it yourself.

Ask for two trade references from buyers who bought similar volume in a similar market. Call them. Ask what went wrong, not only what went right. A supplier with real references will not mind a short call.

Verify the address and the people

Get the full physical address. If the supplier is in your city, visit. Do not meet only in a hotel lobby. Look at the warehouse, stock, and loading area. If the supplier is overseas, ask for a live video call. Not a recorded video. Ask them to walk to the gate, show the company sign, open a carton, and write your name on a box. Ask for a location pin. Speak to a manager or owner, not only the salesperson. Ask who signs the contract and who receives payment.

Check product proof before you talk about volume

Ask for a spec sheet, clear photos with a scale, packing details, and a QC report. For regulated products, ask for a certificate from a named lab. Verify the certificate number with the lab. Blurry PDFs are not proof. Pay for a sample. A sample might cost $30 to $150 plus courier, depending on the product. Test the sample with your own hands. Check the label, packaging, and size. If the supplier refuses a sample, stop.

Protect the payment

Pay the company account, not a personal account. The invoice must show the product, quantity, unit price, MOQ, lead time, Incoterm, freight, packing, and defect policy. Start small. A trial order is better than a container full of problems. For larger amounts, use escrow or a letter of credit. Bank fees may cost 1 to 3 percent, but that is cheaper than a loss. If you use an agent, make the agent inspect before you release the balance. Keep photos and a signed inspection report. Never pay the balance on a promise that goods are ready.

Watch these common pitfalls

• The price is 20 to 30 percent below every other quote. Ask why. Too cheap often means short quantity, poor material, or a deposit scam.
• The supplier rushes you. Real suppliers can hold a quote for a day or two. Scammers cannot.
• The bank details change at the last minute. Call the supplier on a number you already have. Do not trust a new email or WhatsApp message.
• The certificate looks real, but the lab has never heard of it. Verify.
• The freight quote leaves out duty, port charges, and clearing. Ask for a landed cost estimate before you compare prices.
• MOQ and packaging change after you pay the deposit. Put everything in the proforma invoice.
• No written defect policy. Agree who pays for short shipments, damage, or wrong specs.

Use local eyes when the distance is real

If you cannot visit, use a third-party inspection. In many markets an inspector costs about $100 to $300 per man-day plus travel. That is small money against a dead stock problem. If the supplier is in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Niger, or Chad, ask a local agent or your own staff to check the address and stock. If you import from China, India, or Dubai, book inspection before balance payment.

The short checklist

1. Verify registration and bank name.
2. Call two references.
3. See the address by visit or live video.
4. Test a paid sample.
5. Sign a proforma invoice with specs and defect rules.
6. Pay a deposit to the company account.
7. Inspect before balance.
8. Keep all documents and photos.

You do not need to trust a supplier on the first call. You need evidence. When you are ready to order, you can browse products and place an order on GlobemX. Prices show in local currency, MOQ is clear, and a local agent confirms stock and freight before you pay.