World Bank Imposes 30-Month Debarment on Two Nigerian Firms for Fraudulent Practices
The World Bank has imposed a 30-month debarment on two Nigerian companies, Viva Atlantic Limited and Technology House Limited, due to their involvement in fraudulent, collusive, and corrupt practices related to the National Social Safety Nets Project (NSSNP) in Nigeria.
A statement from the bank on Thursday confirmed that the debarment also applies to Norman Bwuruk Didam, the managing director and CEO of the companies. The NSSNP was designed to improve Nigeria’s social safety net systems by providing financial support to low-income and vulnerable households.
The debarment follows an investigation into violations of the World Bank’s Anti-corruption Framework during a 2018 procurement process, which included the awarding of contracts linked to these companies and Didam.
The investigation found that Viva Atlantic Limited, Technology House Limited, and Didam had misrepresented a conflict of interest in their bid submission letters and had improperly received confidential tender information from public officials, leading to fraudulent and collusive activities.
The debarment renders both the companies and Didam ineligible to participate in future World Bank Group-funded projects and operations. This decision also triggers cross-debarment by other multilateral development banks, under the Agreement for Mutual Enforcement of Debarment Decisions, signed on April 9, 2010.
As part of a settlement agreement, Viva Atlantic Limited, Technology House Limited, and Didam have acknowledged their wrongdoing and agreed to meet specific integrity compliance conditions before their debarment can be lifted.
The settlement terms include a reduced debarment period due to the parties’ cooperation with the World Bank investigation, voluntary corrective actions, and steps taken to prevent future misconduct. Didam is required to complete corporate ethics training, while the two companies must strengthen their internal integrity policies and conduct ethics training programs in line with World Bank compliance guidelines.
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