Buyer Inspection Guide
This guide is written for international buyers who are commissioning or conducting on-ground inspections in African commodity transactions. It covers what to inspect, how to structure an inspection, what evidence to collect, and what to require from your representative. It is based on our field experience across gold, agricultural commodities, and industrial minerals.
1. When an inspection becomes necessary
Not every transaction requires an on-ground inspection. A long-standing relationship with a verified supplier, a small trial purchase, or a transaction fully covered by a bank's letter of credit may not justify the cost. But for new suppliers, larger transactions, first-of-type deals in a new country, or any offer where something feels off, an inspection is the control that turns remote uncertainty into verified fact.
Engage an inspection when:
- You are evaluating a new supplier for the first time
- The transaction value justifies independent on-ground verification
- The offer includes claims that can only be confirmed physically
- You are unable to travel to the origin country yourself
- You need someone to attend a meeting, visit, or inspection on your behalf
2. What to inspect: the inspection scope
The inspection scope depends on the commodity, the transaction structure, and the risk profile. But a thorough inspection covers the following areas.
Inspection scope areas:
- Physical premises — does the supplier operate where they claim?
- Operational capacity — do they have the staff, equipment, and infrastructure?
- Material verification — is the commodity present and consistent with the offer?
- Documentation review — are physical records consistent with the digital set?
- Storage conditions — is the commodity stored appropriately?
- Staff and management — do the people match the claimed organisation?
- Surrounding environment — is the site consistent with the claimed activity?
3. How to structure an inspection
An inspection should be structured, not ad hoc. The inspector should have a clear scope of work, a checklist, and a reporting format before they arrive. The inspection should be documented with photographs, dates, and observations — not just a verbal thumbs-up.
The inspection should also include an element of the unexpected. A purely pre-arranged visit to a staged site tells you what the supplier wants you to see. Where feasible, the inspector should look for evidence of a real operating presence beyond what was set up for the visit.
4. What to require from your representative
A buyer's representative works for the buyer, not for the deal. Their job is to verify and report, not to close the transaction. The following are the minimum deliverables we require from every inspection engagement.
Representative deliverables:
- A written, dated report with structured findings
- Photographic evidence of the site, material, and operations
- Observations on any red flags or inconsistencies
- Cross-reference of physical findings with the document set
- A clear assessment of whether the supplier is credible
- Recommendations for further verification if needed
5. What a representative should not do
A representative should not negotiate price on the buyer's behalf unless explicitly instructed. They should not receive any payment from the supplier. They should not act as an introducer to other suppliers, which creates a conflict of interest. And they should not make promises about transaction outcomes — those are the buyer's commercial decisions.
6. Inspection for different commodity types
The inspection approach varies with the commodity. For gold bullion, inspection includes verification of bar marks, weights, and serial numbers. For dore, the focus is on sampling and assay oversight. For raw or dust gold, sampling methodology is critical. For agricultural commodities, inspection covers quality grading, moisture content, and packaging. For industrial minerals, inspection covers mineral composition and processing capacity.
A structured inspection is the control that turns remote claims into verified facts. Require a written report with photographic evidence, clear findings, and recommendations — never accept a verbal thumbs-up as the basis for releasing capital.