Verify a Supplier Before You Pay: Checklist for Africa (2026)

Knowing how to verify a supplier is the most valuable import skill you can learn, because it protects you before money moves. A supplier can look professional online and still be a trading company posing as a factory, a business with no licence, or an impostor using a real company's name. This checklist works for suppliers in China, India, Turkey or Africa, on any platform or by direct contact. It uses guidance from Alibaba, the FBI, the FTC and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Commercial Crime Services, read in October 2026.

Part 1: identity and legal status

Get the full legal company name, address and registration number. Compare them across the quotation, the invoice, the website and the bank account name. Mismatches need an explanation.
Ask for the business licence and check its scope. Alibaba's sourcing guidance says to check whether the business licence covers manufacturing or only import and export. This separates a factory from a trader.
Search the official company register in the supplier's country where one is publicly available, and look for a company that has been struck off. In a report on commodity frauds, ICC Commercial Crime Services found one seller previously flagged for fraud and another company struck off its national register.
Use a platform's verification as a start. Alibaba says Verified Supplier means the business passed third-party inspection and that baseline verification provides "baseline legitimacy and accountability", which is not a full quality inspection. Open any inspection report.
Consider a paid company report. The ICC's IMB offers company reports that identify a company's shareholders, assets and associated companies, as described on the ICC CCS due-diligence page. A professional inspection firm can also visit a factory for you.

Part 2: proof that they can make or supply the product

Ask for a live video call from the factory floor or warehouse, with a visible company sign. Alibaba's guidance suggests a video call or factory tour before ordering.
Test responsiveness. Alibaba's guidance notes a real manufacturer tends to give a specific minimum for its production line straight away, while a trader tends to hedge.
Order a sample, and test it. Ask for the same material and finish as the bulk order. See our guide to sending samples from China to Africa.
Ask for certificates relevant to your market. Nigerian buyers should ask about NAFDAC, SON or other approvals for the product category before they buy, not after.

Part 3: payment safety

Match the account name to the company name. The FBI's advice on business email compromise is to verify any change in account number or payment procedure with the person making the request, using a number you look up yourself, and to be cautious when a requester pushes you to act quickly. Check email addresses closely for subtle differences.
Prefer a protected payment route and keep records on the platform. Global Sources advises transacting through platform methods and avoiding payment arrangements outside the platform. Alibaba advises keeping dispute evidence in its official chat tool. The FTC says that wiring money "is like sending cash — once you send it, you usually can't get it back."
Start small. Make the first order a size you can afford to lose, and increase only after you have inspected goods and received them on time. Our guide to paying overseas suppliers covers the options.

After you pay: protect the order

Verification does not end when the deposit leaves your account. Ask for production photos while your order is being made. Consider a third-party inspection before the balance is paid. Alibaba's own guidance on disputes advises recording the unboxing, checking quantities against your order contract and tracking dispute deadlines, since missing a window can release payment automatically. Write the inspection date, the dispute deadline and the payment date in one place so you never miss one.

Red flags

Prices "well below market value" with unusual paperwork. ICC CCS named this combination as the principal common feature of the frauds it examined.
Pressure to pay quickly, or to leave the platform.
No video call, no business licence, or a licence that does not match the name on the invoice.
A request for payment into a personal account.
Contract terms you do not understand. ICC CCS says that anyone who receives an offer they do not fully understand should seek advice.

A simple scoring approach

Give each supplier a yes or no for each of the twelve points, and require a yes on identity, licence, sample and payment-account match before you place a first order. A supplier who passes everything still deserves a small first order. Our guide to safe sourcing on Alibaba applies the same checks to a platform listing, and our guide to finding verified wholesale suppliers in Nigeria applies them to local suppliers.

How verification works on Comilmart

Supplier accounts on Comilmart are reviewed through know-your-supplier (KYS) verification. Applicants submit a company registration number, a tax number, a business licence upload, a registration certificate upload, at least two sample product images and company details. The form states review takes about 24 to 48 hours. Verified-supplier badges show on supplier pages, and you can browse the directory at /suppliers. Verification is one layer, not a substitute for your own checks.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if a supplier is a factory or a trader? Check the licence scope, ask for production photos and a live video call, and ask production-line questions. Traders may hedge.

Is a verified badge enough? It is a useful signal. Alibaba itself says baseline verification is not the same as a full quality inspection, so still sample and inspect.

Should I pay a deposit before a sample? Pay only through a protected route, to an account that matches the company name, and in an amount you can afford to lose.

What if the supplier changes bank details? Stop and confirm by phone, using a number you found independently.

Can I hire someone to check a supplier? Yes. Inspection firms and company-report providers exist. Choose one with a track record and a written scope.

Next step

Print this checklist and score every new supplier before you pay. To compare quotes from suppliers who have applied through verification, submit your requirement at /request-quotation, and browse suppliers at /suppliers. Knowing how to verify a supplier is what keeps your first order from becoming your last.