World Bank Debars 2 Nigerian Firms For 30 Months Over ‘Fraudulent Activities’

Two Nigerian-based companies, Viva Atlantic Limited and Technology House Limited, have received a 30-month debarment from the World Bank Group due to fraudulent, collusive, and corrupt practices connected to the National Social Safety Nets Project in Nigeria (NSSNP).

According to a statement by the Washington-based bank on Thursday, the debarment was issued alongside that of the companies’ managing director and chief executive officer, Norman Bwuruk Didam.
The NSSNP was established to enhance Nigeria’s social safety net systems by providing targeted financial transfers to poor and vulnerable households.

However, investigations revealed breaches of the World Bank’s Anti-corruption Framework in the 2018 procurement and subsequent contract processes involving Viva Atlantic Limited, Technology House Limited, and Didam.

“According to the facts of the case and the general principles of the World Bank’s Anti-corruption Framework, in connection with a 2018 procurement and subsequent contract, Viva Atlantic Limited, Technology House Limited, and Didam misrepresented a conflict of interest in the companies’ Letter of Bids and received confidential tender information from public officials, which constituted fraudulent and collusive practices, respectively,” the statement said.

A debarment renders firms or individuals ineligible to participate in projects and operations financed by institutions of the World Bank Group. The debarments of Didam, Viva Atlantic Limited, and Technology House Limited qualify for cross-debarment by other multilateral development banks under the Agreement for Mutual Enforcement of Debarment Decisions signed on April 9, 2010.

According to the World Bank, Viva Atlantic Limited and Didam misrepresented a conflict of interest in their authorisation letter of bids and gained improper access to confidential information from public officials, resulting in fraudulent and corrupt practices.

As part of their settlement agreements, the companies and Didam have acknowledged culpability and agreed to meet specified integrity compliance conditions as a requirement for release from debarment.

The settlement agreements feature reduced debarment periods due to the companies’ and Didam’s cooperation with the Bank Group’s investigation, voluntary corrective actions, voluntary restraint from participating in Bank Group tenders, and the passage of time.

“The companies commit to continue to fully cooperate with the Bank Group Integrity vice presidency. Among other things, Didam must complete individual corporate ethics training, and the two companies must enhance their internal integrity compliance policies and implement corporate ethics training programmes, all of which must reflect the relevant principles set out in the Bank Group Integrity Compliance Guidelines,” the statement said.