Due Diligence & Verification
Counterparty due diligence on African mineral suppliers
Where the size of the deal warrants it, the record has to go further than the registry: who really controls the supplier, what its history is in the courts and the press, whether it appears on any sanctions or politically-exposed-person list, and whether the operation it describes exists.
Scope
- Turnaround
- Typically two to four weeks, agreed in the scope according to the jurisdictions involved.
- Coverage
- 7 countries, and anywhere in Africa
- Standards
- Nairank Global Standard; supports OECD-aligned due diligence
Enhanced due diligence builds on the company and licence verification. It adds searches of court and litigation records, adverse-media review in the relevant languages, screening of the company, its directors and owners against international sanctions and PEP lists, and tracing of ownership through holding companies to the individuals behind them.
We then test the supplier’s account of itself. Trade references are sought from buyers, refiners or logistics firms it names, and our field teams confirm discreetly that the offices, plant, equipment and staff described exist and operate on the scale claimed.
All work is carried out lawfully, through public records, licensed local partners and open enquiry. It concerns the company and its commercial standing; it is not surveillance of private individuals.
Typical situations
- Large or long-term supply contracts
- When the supplier is a trader and the chain back to the producer is unclear
- When the standard check passes but something about the counterparty still concerns you
- When a financier or compliance function requires enhanced due diligence
Method
Our testers and inspectors are based in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, the DR Congo, Ghana and Sierra Leone, and deploy with XRF analysers wherever in Africa the material is held.
- STEP 01
Scope
We agree the questions that matter for this deal — its size and structure, the parties, and whatever has raised concern.
- STEP 02
Records
Court and litigation records, insolvency records and regulatory actions in the relevant jurisdictions.
- STEP 03
Screening
Company, directors and owners screened against sanctions, PEP and adverse-media sources.
- STEP 04
Ownership
Ownership traced through intermediate companies to the individuals who control the supplier.
- STEP 05
References and site
Trade references sought; premises and operations confirmed by our field team or a licensed partner.
- STEP 06
Findings
A written account of what was found, how, and what it means for the transaction.
Scoping is free. We return a scope, timetable and terms within one business day.
Request this service
Detail
What enhanced due diligence covers
- Litigation, insolvency and regulatory records in each relevant jurisdiction
- Sanctions lists including UN, US, EU and UK, and politically-exposed-person databases
- Adverse media in English, French and the relevant local languages
- Ownership through holding structures, including offshore entities where records allow
- Trade references from counterparties the supplier names
- Discreet confirmation of offices, plant, equipment and workforce
Deliverables
- Litigation, sanctions, PEP and adverse-media results, with sources
- An ownership chart to the individuals behind the supplier, as far as records allow
- Trade references and on-the-ground confirmation of premises and operations
- An assessment of what the findings mean for this transaction
Turnaround. Typically two to four weeks, agreed in the scope according to the jurisdictions involved.
Why clients choose us
- Field teams who can confirm premises in person, not only from records.
- Screening and records searches combined in one account, with sources cited.
- Nairank Global is independent of buyers and sellers. Its fees are outcome-neutral: they are the same whether or not the transaction proceeds. Our fee is agreed before work starts and is the same whatever we find.
Questions
Not answered here? Message the desk.
How does this differ from the background check?
The background check confirms registration, recorded ownership and licences. Enhanced due diligence adds court records, sanctions, PEP and media screening, ownership tracing, trade references and on-the-ground confirmation.
Is it discreet?
Yes. Enquiries are made through public records, licensed partners and our own staff, without alerting the supplier.
Do you screen individuals?
Directors and owners are screened as part of the company’s risk profile. We do not carry out surveillance of private individuals.
Which sanctions lists do you screen against?
United Nations, United States, European Union and United Kingdom lists as a minimum, and any others your compliance policy names.
How long does it take?
Typically two to four weeks, depending on the jurisdictions and records involved. The timetable is set in the scope.
Can it cover a supplier outside your bases?
Yes. Records searches can be made in any African jurisdiction, and site confirmation is arranged through our teams or licensed partners.
Where we provide this
City and country pages with local detail: where our teams work, the authorities involved and how an engagement runs there.
Related practice areas
Company & Mining-Licence Verification
Due Diligence Findings & Report
Mine, Warehouse & Stockpile Inspection
Field guidance
Country pages and buyer guides where this work applies.
- Kenya — Nairobi, Migori, KakamegaGold testing in Nairobi and western Kenya, with checks on the dealer’s licence class, company record and export approval.
- Uganda — Kampala, Entebbe, MubendeIndependent testing of incoming lots for refineries, witnessed melts and supplier checks; refinery certificate checks for buyers.
- Gold refineries in UgandaThe refining sector, the Bank of Uganda programme, and the checks that apply whether you supply, buy from or run a refinery.
- How to verify a mining licenceThe four things to confirm on any licence, and where each country keeps the record.
- Due diligence in Africa: registry vs groundWhat a company registry proves and what it does not, and how each claim is matched to the cadastre, the licence, the warehouse and the goods.
Enhanced Due Diligence
Brief us on the requirement and the location. We return a scope, a timetable and terms within 24 hours, in confidence.