World Bank sanctions 2 firms, CEO for scamming poor households in Nigeria
The World Bank Group has announced a 30-month debarment of two Nigerian companies, Viva Atlantic Limited and Technology House Limited, along with their Managing Director and CEO, Mr Norman Bwuruk Didam, for engaging in fraudulent, collusive, and corrupt practices tied to Nigeria’s National Social Safety Nets Project.
The National Social Safety Nets Project for Nigeria is an initiative of the World Bank to provide access to targeted transfers to poor and vulnerable households under an expanded national social safety nets system
In a statement released on Monday, the global financial institution revealed that the violations of the companies stemmed from irregularities during a 2018 procurement process for the project, which was designed to provide financial aid to vulnerable and impoverished households in Nigeria.
The World Bank disclosed that the companies and Mr Didam misrepresented conflicts of interest in their bid documents and improperly accessed confidential tender information through public officials.
Additionally, Viva Atlantic Limited and Mr Didam were found guilty of falsifying experience records, submitting fake manufacturer’s authorization letters, and offering inducements to project officials, actions classified as corrupt practices under the Bank’s Anti-Corruption Framework.
“These unethical actions compromised the integrity of a critical social safety initiative intended to support Nigeria’s most vulnerable populations,” the Bank stated.
Conditions for Reinstatement
The debarment bars the companies and Mr. Didam from participating in World Bank-financed projects and operations for the specified period. However, reduced sanctions were applied due to the parties’ cooperation during the investigation, voluntary corrective measures, and a self-imposed suspension from bidding.
As part of a settlement agreement, the implicated parties acknowledged their wrongdoing and agreed to implement corrective measures. These include:
- Individual ethics training for Mr. Didam.
- Enhanced compliance policies and corporate ethics training for the two companies, aligning with the Bank’s Integrity Compliance Guidelines.
The sanctions also qualify for cross-debarment under the 2010 Agreement for Mutual Enforcement of Debarment Decisions, allowing other multilateral development banks to enforce similar penalties.
Commitment to Transparency
The World Bank emphasized its zero-tolerance policy toward corruption, reiterating its commitment to transparency and accountability in development projects.
“The implicated parties must meet the stipulated conditions during the debarment period to regain eligibility for future participation in World Bank-financed initiatives,” the statement concluded.
