What Nairank Global does in Tanzania
Clients come to us at the point before they commit: before a contract is signed, a payment is made, a loan is drawn or goods are shipped. Our work in Tanzania covers six services, usually combined in one engagement:
- Company due diligence — the company record at BRELA, its tax registration with TRA, its licences, its ownership, and whether it can deliver what it offers. See supplier due diligence in Tanzania.
- Background checks — on companies, suppliers and counterparties: registration and standing, sanctions and politically exposed person lists, adverse media and, where records allow, litigation. See background checks.
- Inspection of goods and stock — quantity, weight, condition, marks and seals of stock in a warehouse or before loading, with photographs and a written report. See mine, warehouse and stockpile inspection.
- Gold and mineral testing — XRF, acid and density tests on site, and fire assay at an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratory. See gold testing in Dar es Salaam.
- Pre-shipment inspection — the lot checked against the contract before it leaves for the port. See pre-shipment inspection.
- Document verification — licences, permits, certificates of origin and assay certificates confirmed with the office that issued them. See document verification.
Registries and authorities we check in Tanzania
A Tanzanian company record shows that a company exists. It does not show that the company holds the right licence, owns the goods or can deliver them. We match each record to the next one, then to the goods:
| Record | Held by | What it confirms |
|---|---|---|
| Company registration and ownership | Business Registrations and Licensing Agency (BRELA) | That the company exists and who controls it |
| Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) | Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) | That the company is registered for tax |
| Mining, dealer and broker licences | Mining Commission and the online mining cadastre | That the company may mine, buy or sell the mineral offered |
| Export permit, royalty and inspection records | Mining Commission | That a mineral lot may lawfully leave the country |
| Transit documents for goods from Zambia or the DR Congo | Customs at the border and the port of Dar es Salaam | Who moved the goods, from where and in whose name |
Our step-by-step guide to the first of these is how to check a company on BRELA.
Where our team works in Tanzania
We are based in Dar es Salaam, where most vaults, bonded warehouses, exporters and the port are, and travel to the goods. The Lake Zone gold belt is covered from Mwanza and Geita.
| Area | Typical work |
|---|---|
| Dar es Salaam | Company checks, warehouse and port inspection, gold testing at vaults and dealers, document verification |
| Mwanza and Geita | Gold testing at dealers and mineral markets, site visits, witnessed melts |
| Shinyanga, Kahama and Mara | Visits to small-scale mines and buying centres |
| Arusha, Dodoma and the south | Site visits on request, scheduled with the client |
Our mineral specialisation in Tanzania
Most of our Tanzanian work involves gold and the copper that transits Dar es Salaam from Zambia and the DR Congo. Since March 2019, small-scale gold has been traded through government mineral markets and buying centres, which numbered 44 markets and 120 buying centres by May 2026 according to the Mining Commission’s review reported by The Guardian (Tanzania). Since October 2024, dealers must also offer at least 20% of gold intended for export to the Bank of Tanzania. Both rules leave a paper trail we check.
For the detail, see gold testing and supplier due diligence in Tanzania, gold testing in Mwanza and gold testing in Geita.
How long inspection, testing and due diligence take in Tanzania
Times start once we have the company or supplier details and, for site work, confirmed access. A fixed quote is agreed before work starts; scoping is free.
| Service | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Registry and licence check (desk) | 3–5 business days |
| Full supplier due diligence | 7–10 business days |
| Enhanced investigation (beneficial owners, several countries, litigation) | 10–15 business days |
| On-site inspection or testing | Team on site within 48–72 hours after access is confirmed |
| XRF, acid and density results | Same day, on site |
| Written inspection report | Within 2 business days of the visit |
| Fire assay at an accredited laboratory | 3–5 business days after the sample reaches the lab |
| Urgent desk check | 48 hours, on request |