You know the story. Everyone does.
Someone works hard for years in Paris, Montreal, New York or Berlin. They send money home to build a house. A cousin oversees the site. The photos they receive are reassuring. And on the day they finally return, they discover the truth: foundations barely out of the ground, invoices no one can produce, a plot of land whose title is disputed. Years of savings gone, and a family relationship damaged for good.
This scenario is so common that it has become a bitter joke within the diaspora. Except that nobody is really laughing.
The real problem is not distance. It is the absence of structure.
From abroad, you cannot verify a land title yourself. You cannot inspect a construction site every week. You cannot tell whether the builder's quote is honest.
Every step then rests on trust placed in informal intermediaries: a relative, a friend, a broker. No solid contract, no recourse, no guarantee. When things go well, so much the better. When they go wrong, you have nothing.
The problem, then, is not investing back home. It is investing without a framework.
The solution: buy a structured project, not a promise
Buying from a structured developer such as Reliance West Africa (RWA) changes the very nature of your investment. Here is what that means in practice:
Land secured upstream. Our projects are developed on land whose status is verified and secured before any marketing begins. In Ouagadougou, our ZAFARA PLAZZA project is developed in partnership with SONATUR, the Société Nationale d'Aménagement des Terrains Urbains, the Burkinabè state-owned company responsible for the development and sale of urban land.
Contracts, not arrangements. Your purchase rests on a written contract that sets out what you are buying, what you are paying, and what you are entitled to demand. A binding document, which you can have reviewed before you sign.
Traceable payments, not blind transfers. Every instalment follows the schedule set out in the contract and is documented by a receipt. At any moment you know exactly what you have paid, and for which stage of the project.
A professional point of contact, not a cousin. You follow your project with a dedicated adviser, documented progress reviews, and official site photographs and reports. No one in your family needs to be called upon, or held responsible.
The 4 checks to make before buying, wherever you buy
Whether you buy from us or elsewhere, always insist on:
- Proof of the land's legal status (title, lease, development agreement).
- A written, detailed contract, which you can have reviewed by a lawyer or a notary before you sign.
- The developer's full legal identity and track record.
- A payment schedule tied to actual progress, never everything up front.
A serious seller will meet these requests without hesitation. A seller who takes offence has already given you their answer.
Your project back home deserves better than a gamble
Investing back home is one of the finest projects of a lifetime: it is an anchor, an asset, a legacy. It deserves the same rigour as any investment in Europe or America.