The World Bank has imposed a 30-month debarment on two Nigerian companies, Viva Atlantic Limited and Technology House Limited, along with their Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Norman Bwuruk Didam, for alleged fraudulent and corrupt practices.
The debarment, announced by the Washington-based financial institution, bars the companies and their CEO from participating in any World Bank Group-financed projects and operations during the sanction period.
According to a statement issued by the World Bank, the sanctions follow investigations into fraudulent, collusive, and corrupt practices related to the National Social Safety Nets Project (NSSNP) in Nigeria.
The statement read: “The World Bank Group today announced the 30-month debarment of two Nigeria-based companies, Viva Atlantic Limited and Technology House Limited, and their Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Mr. Norman Bwuruk Didam. The debarment is in connection with alleged fraudulent, collusive, and corrupt practices as part of the National Social Safety Nets Project in Nigeria.”
The NSSNP was established to bolster Nigeria’s social safety net systems and provide financial assistance to poor and vulnerable households. However, investigations revealed serious breaches of the World Bank’s Anti-Corruption Framework during the 2018 procurement and contract processes involving Viva Atlantic Limited, Technology House Limited, and Didam.
Breaches Uncovered
The World Bank noted that the parties involved misrepresented a conflict of interest in their Letter of Bids and accessed confidential tender information from public officials. These actions were classified as fraudulent and collusive practices.
Additionally, Viva Atlantic Limited and Didam allegedly falsified the company’s experience records, submitted forged manufacturer’s authorization letters, and offered inducements to public officials, actions deemed as fraudulent and corrupt practices under the Bank’s Anti-Corruption Framework.
The statement continued: “According to the facts of the case and the general principles of the World Bank’s Anticorruption Framework, Viva Atlantic Limited, Technology House Limited, and Mr. Didam misrepresented a conflict of interest in the companies’ Letter of Bids and received confidential tender information from public officials. Further, Viva Atlantic Limited and Mr. Didam misrepresented Viva Atlantic Limited’s experience and submitted falsified manufacturer’s authorization letters, as well as offered and provided things of value to project public officials. These actions were fraudulent and corrupt practices, respectively.”
Acknowledgement and Compliance
As part of the settlement agreements with the World Bank, all three parties admitted their wrongdoing and agreed to adhere to stringent integrity compliance conditions as a prerequisite for lifting the debarment.
The debarment sends a strong message about the World Bank’s zero-tolerance policy toward corruption in its projects, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring transparency and accountability in its operations worldwide.
