This briefing supports initial preparation and discussion. It is general information, not legal, tax, investment, regulatory or technical advice.
1. What decision are you preparing to make?
Define the decision, its owner and its deadline. A market visit, distributor search, incorporation study and investment decision require different evidence and counterparties.
2. Who is the intended customer?
Describe the customer, buyer or user in practical terms. Avoid treating an entire country or sector as a single market.
3. What must be verified locally?
Separate assumptions from facts that require Ghana-specific confirmation, including licensing, product requirements, routes to market, pricing and the role of professional advisers.
4. Which entry model is being considered?
Clarify whether the organisation is exploring export, distribution, representation, a local entity, a joint venture or a project-specific partnership.
5. What authority will a local representative hold?
Define what a representative may communicate, arrange and report. Contract signing, regulated advice and financial authority require separate written consideration.
6. What makes a potential partner suitable?
Set criteria for capability, sector relevance, geography, governance, reputation and practical capacity before names are proposed.
7. What due diligence is required?
Plan commercial, legal, financial, technical and regulatory checks with qualified advisers. An introduction is not a substitute for due diligence.
8. Which meetings would change the decision?
Prioritise meetings that answer defined questions or advance a legitimate objective. Seniority alone does not make a meeting useful.
9. What resources and timing are realistic?
Allocate time for research, meeting requests, internal approvals and follow-up. Compressed schedules can reduce both access and decision quality.
10. What happens after the first visit?
Assign ownership for correspondence, verification, proposal review and next actions before the visit takes place.